The RiverClan Age: Son of Gold: Book Two
by Floodtail of FloodClan
Summary: Falconkit, son of Goldleaf, was born as his mother died. But when he learns the whole story, he wants revenge... and only one thing can quench his desire. He vows to avenge against Nightfire, but how? And will he be forced to choose between a deep rooted desire and duty to his Clan?
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING: If you haven't read/finished Teardrops, do not continue.**

In the midst of a battle, a she cat lay dying as she gave life to a small kit. A grey tom stood protectively over her, his claws bloodstained from her killer who lay dead a distance away.

As the kit took its first breath, the cat who made him took her last.

The son of gold was born.

...

Falconkit was a small, simple kit.

There was nothing simple about him, though, not on the inside.

He had brown fur with a golden undercoat, and bright yellow eyes.

He didn't look like his father Floodpelt, and from what he heard from the Clanmates whispers, he didn't look like his mother, either.

Some said he got his looks from his mother's sister.

He had been born right as mother died, and in the middle of the famed war of WindClan and ThunderClan. He had only his denmates, Cricketkit, Waterkit, and Batkit, who he had suckled beside, and his foster mother, Silverclaw.

He was just plain old Falconkit, with his plain old fur and his plain old eyes.

...

"Catch me if you can, Falconkit!" Batkit yowled, scampering away. Falconkit was sure to catch up. He didn't have a sturdy and short RiverClan frame, rather, he was long legged and swift, like the bird he'd been named after.

He crossed the length in a few swift strides.

"Hey, Falconkit," Batkit said, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Wanna explore?"

"We've already explored camp." Falconkit mewed, confused.

"Outside of camp!"  
Falconkit had his doubts, but he nodded, "I guess..."

"Wow!" Batkit breathed. The river was flowing swiftly across the pebbles. Batkit stuck a paw in the fast water, and giggled as it bubbled and swirled around his paw.

Falconkit winced. "Batkit, I really don't think that's a good id-"  
With a startled yelp, Batkit tumbled into the swift, deep water.

...

"Batkit!" Falconkit cried.

No cat was around to help. Batkit bobbed up, being carried away. "Help me!" he yowled, spluttering as his nose was filled with water. He went under.  
Falconkit panicked.  
He started to sprint downstream, after his denmate. He skidded to a stop when he saw shimmering yellow outline grasp Batkit and bring him safely to shore. Falconkit scrabbled back. "What are you?" he squeaked, terrified. The shape set Batkit down, and started to fade. But her eyes remained imprinted like blue fire in Falconkit's eyes.  
_"I am your mother."_

...  
Batkit coughed out water. He sat up, his chest heaving. "Wow!" he breathed. "You pulled me out!"

Falconkit didn't think it was a good idea to tell the somewhat naïve kit the real rescuer, so he nodded. "Um... yeah!" He lied.

Suddenly, a yowl ripped the still air. "Where are Falconkit and Batkit?!"  
...

Batkit and Falconkit looked at each other. "Uh oh!"

A cat burst into the clearing and looked at the dripping Batkit and the panting Falconkit.  
It was Falconkit's father.  
"Explain yourselves." Floodpelt said sternly.

Falconkit said, "Well, we came out to explore-"

"And I accidently fell into the river-"

"And he was going downstream really fast-"

"And Falconkit rescued me!" 

Floodpelt looked back and forth, unsure of if he believed them. "Batkit, I want you to walk straight back to camp." Floodpelt ordered. Batkit looked back, and pelted away. Floodpelt looked at Falconkit. "Did you really rescue him?" Floodpelt asked gently.

"Well... no. I was chasing after him, when this thing picked him up and brought him to shore. Batkit thought _I _rescued him."

"What did this thing look like?"  
In the sheer terror of the moment, Falconkit had been exhausted. He'd never walked so far and he was young. So, he had forgotten what the shape had told him.  
He squinted, trying to remember. "Well, it had blue eyes. It was yellow. And it had white paws. It said something but I don't remember what."  
Floodpelt was staring at his son, longing and a bittersweet love reflected in his eyes.  
"I think I know what it was." He said quietly.

"You do? Really? What was it?"

Floodpelt shook his head.  
"That will come in time for you to discover, son." He paused. "If she wants you to know her, she will come again."

"Wow!" Waterkit and Cricketkit were staring at him, awestruck. "You saved Batkit!"  
Falconkit tried to look humble.  
The others soon lost interest. Cricketkit ran off to the medicine den to pester Streamsong and visit his brother. Waterkit trotted off, her tail in the air, to explore camp.

Falconkit was very curious. He wanted to know more about Goldleaf. All he knew was that she had died when he was born.

Since his father was keeping it from him, he went to th next best cat, Treetail.  
She was grooming herself in the warriors den. When Falconkit trotted in, she purred. "Ever eager to become a warrior, are we?"  
Falconkit wasn't sidetracked.  
"I want to know about my mother." He said stubbornly.

Her green eyes flashed in surprise, and sadness. "My sister died the moment she birthed you," she said, "And her last words were your name. She had a long standing rivalry, from apprentice age with a cat called Nightfire- you wouldn't happen to know about Nightfire, would you?"

Falconkit quickly shook his head, wanting her to continue.  
"Nightfire and your father were on track to become mates, when one day, they did. Your mother was so upset she ran away. In that time, Nightfire was a good cat, and she sought out Goldleaf and brought her back. Then, she betrayed RiverClan and ran away to ThunderClan, and the war started. Your mother and father became mates shortly after the betrayal.

"At first, Goldleaf was fine in the battle, and then she felt you kicking her. In the end, Nightfire killed her, and she kitted you as she died. Floodpelt killed Nightfire."

Falconkit was stunned. So this Nightfire had taken his mother away from him. He felt a small, fiery feeling in his chest. It was almost like the time Waterkit had refused to let him play in a game, except much, much stronger.

He shook himself. Nothing could be done now. Treetail was watching him curiously.  
He nodded to her and scurried from the den. It looked like a storm was rolling in, and a raindrop plopped on his head, soaking the fur.

He ran into the nursery and clambered into his nest with Silverclaw. Cricketkit was fast asleep, and Waterkit was murmuring as she drifted off. Batkit was in the medicine den with a cold from falling into the river.

Falconkit tucked his tail under his nose and fell asleep to the sound of pattering rain.

**My my, got this up quickly! Rest assured this will be triple the length of Teardrops, and hopefully triple the reviews!**


	2. Swept Away

_Falconkit was dreaming. _He was in a large meadow. A large, grey mouse was snuffling for seeds right in front of Falconkit. He stalked toward, only to become distracted when a large moth fluttered by his nose. He giggled and swiped at it. It fluttered out of reach. Balancing on his hind paws, he batted at it. It fell to the ground. He soon lost interest in it. He padded into a forest, and cried out when something jabbed him roughly in the side. 

Falconkit blinked awake. A dozing Cricketkit had stretched and poked Falconkit awake. Sunrays shafted into the nursery. Falconkit heard a roar. His first thought was, _Lions! _Thinking of the tales the elders told. Then he realized this was continuous and it had a stranger quality. He also heard panicked noises outside.

He scrabbled out of his nest and went to the entrance of the nursery. Warriors were running here and there. He saw old Pebblewing, Scruffpelt, and Pantherclaw being herded up out of camp.

_The river!_

Grey water was bubbling and swirling into camp. He saw a warrior, Emberwhisker, running toward the nursery. He seized Waterkit and Cricketkit, missing Falconkit who blended in in his panic. Streamsong was taking mouthfuls of herbs out of her den, and Batkit was hobbling with a large berry in his jaws.

Suddenly the river gurgled and burst past the camp walls. Lightstar charged into the commotion. "Evacuate camp!" she yowled.

Every cat dropped the twigs, moss, and bits they were trying to claw together and ran up the hill. "Wait!" Falconkit wailed, trying to run after them, but they were out of earshot and the ground was slippery. He fell down. The river roared, and Falconkit was caught in the swirling water.

He was mercilessly battered by stones and sticks. The current pulled him away and out, out of camp. The river was like a pond, without the stillness. It raged. Falconkit saw a few grey stones rising out of the water.  
_Sunningrocks!_

The rocks were like a small island in the midst of the flooding river. He fought the water, before a chance current swept him right toward the rocks. He clawed his way up to the top, shivering and drenched.

He could see RiverClan huddled on top of a high hill, but no way to get to them.

He was hungry and cold and tired, and the flood was still spreading. He called for help until his throat was hoarse. No one was there to hear him.  
"_Falconkit..." _

"Who's there?"  
He whipped around and saw the shape hovering over the river. He saw the sharp blue eyes, like fire, beaming down on him. But they did not hold any trace of anger or malicious intentions; they shone gently on him with love.

It bent down. Falconkit, in his exhaustion, bewilderment, and terror, tried to sprawl away. But the figure, which he had expected to merely pass through him, picked him up in his jaws.

It swam the flood and took him to the base of the hill, behind a clump of bushes. Falconkit stared at it.

"You rescued Batkit, didn't you?"

The figure shimmered like a heat haze. "I did. I couldn't stand by and let him drown, could I?"  
"Who- what are you? Why are you here?"

"I am a StarClan cat, my little falcon. I had to save you. I will always be watching over you."  
He realized with a jolt who his eyes rested upon.

"You're my mother."

...  
Falconkit clambered up the slope and slipped in with the other kits. In all the commotion, no cat had missed him. The elders were sheltering under a dripping tree limb. Warriors scouted out anything they could salvage, and brought it back. One good thing was that fish were everywhere. Waterkit boasted with a tiny minnow caught in her claws.

Cricketkit was helping Streamsong sort out the remnants of her soggy herbs.

Falconkit was being fiercely groomed by Silverclaw. From what he knew, she and Goldleaf hadn't been close, but she was as protective of him as the other kits. He gagged. "Yuck!" he grumbled, struggling away.

The flood was lapping at the base of the hill. The camp was completely drowned, then.

Lightstar and a few warriors were whispering together, looking worried. Falconkit wondered what they were saying.  
He thought of the words his father said. _If she wants you to know her, she will come again._

That small feeling he'd felt when Treetail had told him what had happened to his mother appeared again. But this time, he knew what it was. It was anger.

But he didn't know who it was directed at.

...

The flood was quickly receding from the hill as a scorching greenleaf sun came out. Lightstar led three warriors to check out the camp. When she came back, she announced, "Camp is safe!"

Silverclaw grasped Falconkit and carried him down the hill behind the Clan. He squirmed in her grip. When camp came into view, he gasped. Reeds were bent and scattered all over the muddy, marshy ground. The nursery was a few sad, limp woven reeds. 

Everything else was gone. Swept away... 

**I must say, I wasn't entirely happy with only 5 reviews. Teardrops has spoiled me, I guess, but 10 reviews before I update!**


	3. Anger

Falconkit realized his mouth was gaping. He shut it quickly and looked around. Other warriors looked dismayed. Floodpelt looked shell shocked at the ruined camp. The only happy ones were Waterkit and Batkit, running and splashing in the puddles. Warriors murmured in shock at their ruined home.

Falconkit suddenly dropped like a stone into the mud, which splattered his fur. Silverclaw had gasped in shock, and Falconkit had fallen. He shook it off, and it hit Batkit, who squeaked in protest.

...

Over the next days, the kits were forced to stay in the only den not mauled- Lightstar's den- and not get in the way.  
Falconkit and Waterkit were very bored one day. "I'll hide, and you find me." She declared. "Turn around and don't look until I say-so."  
Falconkit turned and faced the entrance of the den. Suddenly, a cold draft blew through his pelt. He started. "What the...?"

The air in front of him swirled and glittered. His first thought was of his mother- maybe she was coming again- but no. This cat that appeared like smoke was black as night with brown paws and eyes the color of fire.

It looked down on him, but though it smiled, the eyes were cold and vicious. He gasped as Creamfrost strode right through it, making it ripple.

"Hello." The mysterious shape said, eyes glittering. A very few stars glimmered on its pelt, but as Falconkit watched, they blinked in and out of existence, being replaced by something much darker. 

"Who are you?" he asked boldly. The black fog opened it muzzle to answer, only to snap it shut when a loud scratching noise clacked behind him.

It was Waterkit hiding. She yowled at him.  
"Falconkit! Come and find me!"

"Um, one second, Waterkit."

"Okay... hurry!"  
He turned back. "Well?"

The mirage shook its muzzle. "That doesn't matter, Falconkit." It said smoothly.

"FALCONKIT!" Waterkit shouted. "It's been a second!"

Falconkit turned and scampered off to find Waterkit. When he turned back, the shape was gone. But a nagging question pestered him.  
_How did it know my name?_

_..._

Soon the nursery was rebuilt and Silverclaw and the kits were allowed to go back in. The ground was still prone to squishing uncomfortably beneath his paws. Only ShadowClan was built for mud, he thought with a shudder of displeasure.

He sat down to think. What had Treetail told him? He was more perceptive and intelligent then a regular kit. She had described his mother's greatest enemy as black and brown with amber eyes. That fit the cat that had come to him.  
The anger blazed through him until he was swallowed by it.

He wanted revenge for his mother's death... and he wanted to vanquish his mother's killer.

He swore then and there wouldn't stop until he did.

...

Soon camp was rebuilt, and he was growing more and more each day. His teeth grew sharper, claws longer, muscles harder. He was the hardiest of all the kits, and it looked like little Cricketkit would follow a different path.

He was smaller than the others, and he wanted to be a medicine cat. Falconkit couldn't understand not wanting to fight and hunt.  
One day Silverclaw caught him up and started to groom him fiercely. He thought of only one thing she could do this for. His apprentice ceremony! Her tongue rasped over his entire pelt. 

He pulled away, looking at his fur. The pelt was a regular brown, and his white belly streaked with black was clean. She groomed her other kits. Waterkit bounced over to him. "I wonder who I get?" Her amber eyes were sparkling with excitement. Silverclaw nudged him, Waterkit, Batkit, and Cricketkit outside. Falconkit was excited. _I wonder who I get...?_

He went forward first. Lightstar was sitting primly atop the rock, her tail curled over her paws.  
She looked down on them all.  
"These kits are of age to become apprentices." She declared. "Falconkit, Waterkit, Batkit, and Cricketkit," She paused to flick her eyes around the crowd, "Shall now be known as Falconpaw, Waterpaw, Batpaw, and Cricketpaw. Waterpaw, your mentor will be... Treetail." The white she cat touched muzzles with Waterpaw.

"Batpaw, your mentor will be Creamfrost." Batpaw's eyes looked downcast for a moment. He had probably been hoping for a tom mentor.

Falconpaw bounced slightly on his paws. "Falconpaw, your mentor will be Emberwhisker."

The young grey and ginger tom looked surprised, and then gratitude spread over his features. He padded forward and bumped noses with Falconpaw.

"I am glad I got you, Falconpaw. I respected your mother." He rumbled, eyes briefly reflected with grief.

Falconpaw tried to be sad, but on this day, he couldn't.

Emberwhisker and Treetail were mates. That probably meant he and Waterpaw would be training together a lot. The thought made a smile curl his muzzle slightly.

Cricketpaw didn't look expectant.

Streamsong padded out into the crowd.  
"Cats of RiverClan, as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown patience and caring. Your next medicine cat will be Cricketpaw." 

Lightstar nodded. "Cricketpaw, do you accept the post of apprentice to Streamsong?"

"I do."

Streamsong meowed, "Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonstone to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats."

Lightstar purred. "The good wishes of all RiverClan will go with you."

The meeting was dismissed. Emberwhisker padded over to his mate and Creamfrost.

"Let's do a triple session with these three, shall we not?" Treetail purred.

"Of course." Emberwhisker told her, his eyes gentle.  
The six cats left camp.

Falconpaw had a sense of purpose as he trailed behind. _Now I can have skills... and maybe I can get back at Nightfire for killing my mother._

**A/N- I just realized I forgot to add in Airwhisker to the elders being herded out of camp D: Just assume she was in there somewhere. I'm trying to fit in all those good old Teardrops charries you love :D Also, catch what I did there? This cat that appeared like smoke was black as** _**night**_ **with brown paws and eyes the color of** _**fire**_. **But I do forget how perceptive y'all are :D**. **Oh dear, looks like Falconpaw isn't our small, naïve lil' guy anymore? This is where the plot starts to move. 17 reviews before update (and if I'm not busy, then maybe 15 :D }**


	4. Thoughts

Falconpaw looked in wonder at his territory. The roar of the river sounded in the distance. Birds chirped, and a sparrow swooped past overhead.

Falconpaw pricked his ears, hearing something. Emberwhisker must have sensed it too, because he ran forward. "What was that?" he murmured.

A shout came through the trees, quite clear and loud, and then it cut off with a sputter. Creamfrost was visibly worried. "We should see what it is."  
It was coming from the river. The river was still much larger and much, much stronger- enough to even drown the best RiverClan swimmer. It was lapping at Falconpaw's paws when he saw a muzzle emerge from the water, only to be swept downriver swiftly.

It was Lightstar!

...  
Treetail cried out and started to race after her mother. Emberwhisker froze in shock, and Creamfrost went after Treetail. Falconpaw looked at Batpaw, who was frozen in fear, and Waterpaw, her amber eyes turbulent. Falconpaw pushed off with his hindpaws, running as swiftly as he could. His paws skimmed the muddy bank. He heard paws slapping the mud behind him, and saw Waterpaw sprinting by his side. Soon they saw the brown and white heads of Creamfrost and Treetail.

A still body was at their paws.

...

Falconpaw gasped in horror. As he watched, the figure stirred feebly and coughed, vomiting up water. He turned to Waterpaw. "Quickly!" he said wildly, "Go get Streamsong or Cricketpaw!"  
She nodded and pelted off.

He bounded over to Treetail. "What happened?!" He demanded.

"She fell into the river and drowned... she lost a life. We managed to pull her out."

Falconpaw's head was whirling.

A crackling rustled behind them, and Streamsong burst into the area. She was panting, but she had some dark, bitter smelling leaves clamped in her jaws. She shoved past Falconpaw and started to press her paws on Lightstar's chest. Lightstar's eyes remained closed.

She chewed up a pulp, pried open Lightstar's jaws, and pushed it down. Lightstar choked and gagged, but her throat convulsed and she lay still. Moments later, she vomited again, water mixed with dark leaf pulp. Seeing the shock on Falconpaw's face, Streamsong's muttered, "Yarrow." 

Lightstar was cut in many places where stones had struck her in the river. Streamsong patted on cobwebs on the worst ones. 

Soon the leader was mostly healed, and she could manage to hobble up and stagger back to camp, supported by Treetail and Creamfrost.

~~~~~~~~~~

Falconpaw and Waterpaw looked at each other. Falconpaw gulped. Waterpaw led the way, and soon they were back beside Emberwhisker and Batpaw. The toms looked ashamed that they'd not run after their leader.

Falconpaw collapsed on the ground, flanks heaving. A grey face peered concernedly into his. "Did I pin you to hard?" she asked.

Falconpaw wheezed. "No," he gasped, "Maybe you could get lighten up your paws, I can't breathe!"

She gasped. "Sorry!" She clambered off. Emberwhisker looked over. "Waterpaw, you won the spar." He said. "Falconpaw, you're smaller. Don't attempt to attack. Defend yourself."  
Falconpaw nodded. Emberhwisker looked musing. "Now, try again, but I want you to spar against Batpaw."

The ginger and grey apprentice padded forward. Falconpaw slowly started to circle him, eyes narrowed. He was determined to win. Batpaw darted forward and lashed out a paw, but the blow was misaimed and it glanced off Falconpaw's shoulder harmlessly.

Falconpaw crouched, slowly creeping forward, and then he leapt. Batpaw sprang back, growling. Falconpaw swerved behind him, and quickly with sheathed claws brought a blow to Batpaw's head.  
Batpaw gasped in a pain and then thrust himself upward, knocking Falconpaw off his paws. 

Batpaw dodged as Falconpaw threw himself at him, but the thickset apprentice was not fast enough. Falconpaw pinned Batpaw down.  
Emberwhisker was surprised. "Well done." He meowed, "Falconpaw, next time, you need to have steadier balance. Batpaw, aim better and move faster."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
_In the edge of the shimmering forest, a cat paced back and forth, staring into the black trees on the other side. Something held it back, but just so. It was a thick furred she cat with copper optics. She held up a paw and examined it idly, her eyes glittering. _

_Only a few stars graced her black pelt, and they were dimmer than the starry forest around her. She pricked her ears up as a crackling noise reacher her. Suddenly, a large gray tom burst through the trees. He eyed her warily. "Nightfire, why are you doing this?" he demanded angrily._

_She rolled her eyes contemptuously. "Dunno what you're talking about, Wolfstar."_

_He took a step forward. "You're spoiling his ambitions; turning them sour! His destiny is one not to be meddled with. You are trying desperately to mess with his head and turn him away from his rightful path so he seeks revenge!"_

_She bared her teeth. "Get lost."  
He growled at her, but with silent pawsteps, padded away._

She closed her eyes and started to fade, bit by bit. Soon she was gone.

_She reappeared in a forest, her body like dark smoke. She started to half walk, half glide forward, until she stopped. A grey and ginger tom strode right through her body- she knew him, it was the happy go-lucky Emberwhisker, she'd never really liked him- a grey she cat, and then a black grey mottled tom. Behind them, gaping in shock when he saw her, was the one she was looking for. _

"_Hey, Emberwhisker, I... I'm going to the dirtplace." He lied lamely. _

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
_Falconpaw stopped short when he saw Nightfire hovering over the trodden path.

"Hey Emberwhisker?" he called, trying to force his voice not to waver, "I... I'm gonna go to the dirtplace."

Emberwhisker agreed and kept going.

Falconpaw turned and glared at the apparition in front of him. "Look," he growled, "I dunno what kind of a... a sick... _game_ you're playing, but you need to stop! Go away and stop haunting me!"

She purred, but it had the coldness of ice behind it. "Oh, dear little Falconkit." She drawled, using his kit name to antagonize him, "This was never a game." With those chilling words, she turned and vanished.

Falconpaw was left staring into the trees, more oppressive and dark since Nightfire had showed up.

He padded back into camp, pausing to glance inside the medicine den. Lightstar was not in there. Only Cricketpaw was in the reed den, a slight grin curling his muzzle as he pawed together the herbs he had been fascinated in since kithood. He looked up slightly as Falconpaw shuffled by. "Oh, hi." He meowed. Falconpaw nodded. "Hey."

The pair had never really gotten to know each other; Cricketpaw was more interested in healing then fighting, a desire Falconpaw didn't understand. Cricketpaw had lost interest, frowning as he studied a purple berry beneath his paws with his dark copper eyes.

Falconpaw padded toward the fresh kill pile, stomach growling at him to eat. He seized a small trout, inhaling the delicious scent deeply. He entered the apprentice den, pleased to see only Waterpaw in there, snoring quietly after the day's events.

He crawled into his nest, quickly polishing off the small fish, and he laid his head on his paws. He fell asleep with only the sound of Waterpaw's breathing and his own turbulent thoughts.

**So we get to see a little more of Falcon. He isn't a bad cat; because, if you were him, wouldn't you want revenge? Think about it and tell me in your reviews. I know I said 17, but I got this done and couldn't wait :D**


	5. The Gathering

Falconpaw woke up, and stretched, curling his paws. The sun was brighter than ever, and he saw what had woken him. Waterpaw had accidently poked him in the side. A slight smirk curled his muzzle as he saw her, flopped on her back with her tail over her nose and her paws sticking up.

She was very pretty, he thought; then shook himself. He was thinking oddly. Trotting out of the den, he saw his mentor lying in the warm sun, grooming himself. He padded over. "Are we going to train today?" he meowed, buzzing with excitement despite what had transpired the day before.

Emberwhisker chuckled. "Slow down, Falconpaw! Get something to eat first. Then we'll go."

Falconpaw snatched a shrew from the pile and gulped it down in a few bites. "Now are we ready?" he asked. Emberwhisker rolled his eyes, and got to his paws. He padded out of the camp.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Now," Emberwhisker said, circling, "Try to attack me."

Falconpaw hesitated, and then launched himself at him. Emberwhisker dodged with ease, leaving Falconpaw in the dust.  
"Got to move faster, Falconpaw."  
Falconpaw growled and clambered up. He thrust himself up, aiming to land on Emberwhisker. Emberwhisker moved to the left, and Falconpaw spun in the air, landing in front of his mentor.

He tried a different tactic. He once again charged at Emberwhisker, and when he sidestepped Falconpaw, Falconpaw swerved and managed to rake his paw down Emberwhisker's shoulder. Emberwhisker looked surprised. "Good!"  
Falconpaw was panting, but he was pleased.

"We can spar," he said, "But your hunting skills are rusty. We have some time before the Gathering tonight. Surely Lightstar will let you go."

Falconpaw started; he had forgotten the Gathering was tonight, but recalling the moon last night, he could tell Emberwhisker was right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The sun was at its peak, and the heat of greenleaf stuck to Falconpaw's fur, making him feel like he might burst into flame at any moment.

He was set to hunting, and he made clumsy catch with a small mouse. Soon he wandered on the edge of the river, apprehensive after what happened to Lightstar. He soon gave up and headed off to try his fishing luck in a stream. A few minnows flitted about, which he scared away with his shadow. Grumpily, he admitted to himself that all he would take back was the mouse. He grasped it in his jaws and padded reluctantly back to camp.

The sun was starting to set, the sky streaked with shades of pink and orange. Falconpaw sat in the clearing, pondering. He certainly wanted to go to the Gathering... he must...  
A familiar scent washed over him; he turned to see Waterpaw, eyes gleaming. "Hey," she greeted him.  
"Oh... hi." He said nonchalantly. Her eyes sparkled with joy. "Treetail told me Lightstar said I can go to the Gathering!"

He smiled. "That's great! I hope I get to go."  
Waterpaw tilted her head slightly, and the glow in her eyes faltered. "Y...you don't know if you're going?"  
"Well, yeah, Emberwhisker hasn't told me yet. I mean, I _suppose _I'm going, but the way I hunted today..." He chuckled.  
She smiled. "Only a scrawny little mouse! Airwhisker nearly yowled at me when I brought it to her! She said it was only skin and bone."

"It was! I'm better in fighting than hunting, I guess. I nearly won a spar today."

"Nice. Against Emberwhisker?"  
"Yup. He was so surprised!"

The conversation dwindled away after that; Lightstar had come out on the rock as the sun went down. She looked around.  
Cats were starting to trickle into the clearing. Falconpaw looked up, screwing his eyes shut as a few rays of the sun hit him in the eyes.

Lightstar didn't need to call for the meeting. Every cat was present. "Cats to go the Gathering will be Robinfur, Silverclaw, Creamfrost, Treetail, Emberwhisker, Floodpelt, Mossfire, Waterpaw, Batpaw, Falconpaw, and Cricketpaw."

Falconpaw sprang to his paws. He was going! He wanted to meet all the cats; the great leaders: Cloudstar of SkyClan, Redstar of ThunderClan, Featherstar of WindClan, and Flowerstar of ShadowClan... he couldn't wait.

He noticed that the SkyClan cats looked very skinny, even more so than WindClan. He wasn't so troubled though, he was absolutely buzzing with energy, and he was in awe of all the cats in Fourtrees.

A small tabby tom padded boldly up to him. "What Clan are _you _from?"

"RiverClan," he meowed amiably, "How about you?"

He puffed out his chest. "I'm from WindClan! My name's Flightpaw. You helped us in the war, didn't you? I was born after it. What about you?"  
Falconpaw shrank away slightly. "I was born... in it." He said.

Flightpaw stared at him. "Mother says a she-cat died in the war and kitted. Were you her kit?"

He nodded.

"Wow!" Flightpaw said. "Hey, I forgot to ask, what's your name?"

"Falconpaw." He meowed with pride.

"I've seen a falcon before." Flightpaw said suddenly. "It was all big and fierce, way up in the sky, and it brown feathers and a white stomach. "

Falconpaw smiled. _Big and fierce, _He thought, _Just like me.  
_Suddenly a yowl echoed through the night, and everyone fell silent as they turned to the Great Rock.

Redstar had yowled the signal to start; thus, he gave his report first.  
"ThunderClan has recovered from Morningstar's death." He announced, directing two barbed glares at Lightstar and Featherstar. Lightstar turned away, eyes glimmering.

He stepped backward, and Featherstar made her report. "Pricklepaw has earned his name, Prickleclaw; and Acorntail was killed in the battle. The deputy is now Dovefeather. We have a new apprentice, Flightpaw."  
A number of cheers went up; mixed with a few mournful murmurs for the lost warrior. Next to Falconpaw, Flightpaw puffed his chest again.

Lightstar made her announcement next; "The river flooded," she declared, "No cat was lost, but our camp was swept away, however; we rebuilt. Also, we have four new apprentices: Waterpaw, Batpaw, Falconpaw, and Cricketpaw. Cricketpaw has been apprenticed to Streamsong."

Falconpaw rose up with pride as cats of all the Clans yowled a cheer.

ShadowClan had nothing to report, and Falconpaw saw Cloudstar push his way to the front. The tom's pale blue eyes were wild. "The Twolegs are slowly taking all out territory." He rasped, a plea creeping into his voice, "And we have no prey. I ask you, leaders, let SkyClan have some territory."  
Redstar immediately objected, "We have none to spare since we lost some to WindClan."

Flowerstar quietly refused to help for the same reason. Feattherstar looked shocked, but she, too, mewed, "WindClan can only just survive on the rabbits we have, and we have more kits. We cannot spare territory."

Falconpaw was numb: What would happen? Lightstar looked indecisive, but she said, "We cannot fish from the river till it goes down much more. The streams and trees are all that provide us. We cannot let you hunt in our land."

Cloudstar' fur bristled. "We will starve! We have already lost some cats; will you not help us now?"

Redstar's eyes blazed. "If you cannot feed yourselves, then you should go," he told Cloudstar.

Cloudstar turned to the other leaders. "Will you let us be driven from out grounds?"

With a feeling of dread, Falconpaw thought he knew the answer.

"We must." 

**So we see Falconpaw and Waterpaw a little more in this, perhaps something brewing...? Oh noes! SkyClan will be driven out? I know some of the leaders {Lightstar, Featherstar, etc} weren't there when this happened; but I had to weave a bit of excitement in... :P**


	6. Mysterious Dreams

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry it's been a while. The unanimous lack of reviews depressed me and made me lose meh muse (hey that rhymes! :D) . But here's an extra long chap for you guys... so I expect twice as many reviews! Please. The story told was written by Prin Pardus who gave me permission ot use it {read her stories; they are BEYOND awesome.} **

With a sinking feeling, Falconpaw stared at the frail figure of Cloudstar, his jutting limbs traced in the moonlight, which was still clear and bright.

Cloudstar's incredulous gaze was darting rapidly to and fro.

"If SkyClan cannot support itself, it must leave." Redstar announced firmly. Cloudstar gaped at him, and then drew up haughtily.

"StarClan had done a great injustice as have you!" He yowled. "SkyClan will never look to the stars again!"

He leapt off the great rock and gathered his warriors. Falconpaw was jostled aside as a large brown she cat with golden amber eyes drew up and slowly walked toward Cloudstar.  
"I must remain behind." She murmured, her head bowed. Falconpaw noticed she was very plump, and obviously not from food.  
"But... Birdflight! Our kits! I... I..."

"I must stay for them. They need food and shelter and the warrior code."

He lowered his muzzle. "I will wait for you, Birdflight." He murmured.  
"As will I, love."  
The medicine cat of ThunderClan whispered something to Redstar, who looked uncertain.  
"Birdflight!" Kestrelwing yowled, getting to his paws. "ThunderClan will take you in."  
Birdflight's gaze shifted from her mate t the medicine cat, and she dipped her head. "I accept the offer."

Falconpaw turned around to hear hushed whispers. His bright yellow eyes caught a small, lithe WindClan apprentice, her pelt long and whitish brown, pressed up with Batpaw, who was purring, oblivious to the scene before them.

A brown tom sitting near him whipped around and hissed. "Quiet!"

"Sorry, Prickleclaw." The she cat mumbled.

Once again, suspicion seized Falconpaw, but he turned away.

~~~~~~~~  
When a grim RiverClan left the Gathering, Falconpaw noticed Batpaw's expression was dreamy and happy, despite the departure of a Clan, which deeply shook him. SkyClan had been there for season upon season... now they were gone.  
He padded up to Batpaw.  
"Why do you look like that, Batpaw?" he asked.  
Batpaw halted, the grin curling his muzzle gone. "Like what?" he growled. Falconpaw raised an eyebrow at him. "Like you just caught the plumpest fish in the river, became a warrior, and got a mate."

Batpaw flinched slightly at the last words. "I don't have a clue what you're yammering on about, Falconpaw." He said coldly. He stalked away, leaving Falonpaw more confused than ever. He'd only asked a question- and Batpaw had shunned him... What was going on?

The sun was beaming down. Greenleaf was drawing to scorching hot close. Falconpaw struggled to keep up with his father, Cricketpaw, and Creamfrost on a patrol.  
Cricketpaw was plucking leaves and berries along the patrol, wrapping them up in a large, dark, glossy leaf to take back to Streamsong.

"You're a cat of leaves." Falconpaw teased Cricketpaw, who flattened his ears slightly. But then he slammed his paws in a small puddle, spraying Falconpaw with mud. "And you're a cat of dirt." Cricketpaw purred.

Creamfrost marked a tree. Falconpaw scented Twolegs and heard a rumble, leaping back in alarm when he spotted a large monster chewing up the trees of what used to be SkyClan territory.  
Floodpelt was observing it, worry glinting in his eyes. "We had better tell Lightstar about this." He murmured.

Falconpaw raced ahead, slowing when he heard Floodpelt call him back.

Cricketpaw stumbled over a tree root, and the leaf unraveled, dumping all the herbs and berries gathered everywhere. "Oh no!" Cricketpaw wailed. "These took ages to collect."

Falconpaw looked at his father, who meowed, "You can help him gather the herbs." Falconpaw watched his father and Creamfrost vanish into the trees, and he bent over a clump of purple berries, grasping them. He dropped them on the glossed leaf.

He gagged and spat out a shred of dark leaf in disgust. "What is that?" he growled gagging on the bitter tang.

Cricketpaw choked back a purr. "Yarrow. Makes you sick."

Falconpaw used his claws to impale the rest of the yarrow and put it away. Cricketpaw soon grabbed the end of the leaf and started to shamble toward camp, waddling almost as he dragged the leaf. Falocnpaw trotted ahead, eager to get home and eat. He was starving.  
...

He shuffled into camp, shocked when he smelled a sweet, subtle scent wafting from the nursery, and smiled when he saw a cat curled inside. Apparently a cat had kitted while they were out. He poked his muzzle in to see who it was.  
Treetail was gazing sleepily at two kits curled at her belly.

"You've kitted!" he mewed. Treetail purred. "You didn't know? I've been as fat as Scruffpelt lately!"

A yowl came from the elders den. "I heard that!"

Treetail laughed. She shifted so Falconpaw could see. "A tom and she kit. Lynxkit is the tom and Rosekit is the she cat."  
Lynxkit was mottled grey brown like Embrwhisker and Treetail. Rosekit was pale ginger with brown flecks. He smiled. "So Emberwhisker is a father!" he meowed.

"Yes. He was so pleased. Falconpaw, you'd best go. I'm exhausted."  
Falconpaw backed out then sniffed appreciatively when he spied a huge fish flopped across the fresh kill. He was about to seize the dangling tail when a black muzzle specked with grey got it. He was about to say a sharp retort; but swallowed back his mew, no sensible cat would dare take food from the irritable Pantherclaw if they were worth their whiskers.

Pantherclaw glanced at him. "This fish is much too big. You can share, but I'm going out of this blasted sun to the den."  
Falconpaw trailed after Pantherclaw, sitting respectively in the entrance. He took a small bite, and then felt a kitlike urge.  
"Tell me a story." He begged Pantherclaw, who looked amused.  
"Well, when you were a kit, think I told all my stories. But... I have one more. Have you heard the frost story?"

Falconpaw quickly shook his head. PantherClaw swallowed his bite of fish and began.

"Once upon a time, long long ago, StarClan was trying to find names for all things. For they had a perfect world and perfect cats to live in it…but the cats needed to know what each piece of the world was called, to survive. And so, StarClan met, to name the water and the leaves and the earth and the animals and everything else in their new world. And soon, everything was named but a few things. And these things proved very hard for StarClan to name, so they sent a few warriors to look for inspiration.

"One such thing was the layer of ice that coated everything during leaf-bare; it was not quite snow, nor simply plain ice, so it needed a special name, but StarClan could not think of it.

"The warriors roamed far and wide, searching for their inspiration to name the strange ice. But they found nothing, until they happened upon a strange she-cat.

"When they first met her, she was completely covered in mud; she was almost unrecognizable as a cat. Her fur stuck out wildly, coated with leaves and twigs; it was obvious to the StarClan warriors that this was a wild, wild cat. And to their surprise, she addressed them.

"'Hello," the wild she-cat said, grinning at them. 'I've heard you two are looking for a bit of inspiration. Well, how about this; you give me some tests to pass, and if I can do it, you'll name whatever it is after me!'

"The StarClan cats were surprised by her offer, but intrigued; they had always liked challenges, and if she could perform them then they might finally have their name. But they were wary; this she-cat did not at all seem to fit their image of the icy coating, and they didn't want to misname it.

"'Let's have some fun, and humor her,' one of the warriors said, a tom named Tigerstrike. 'We will make sure the tests are too difficult for her to pass. She'll have to give up, and we will go on our way.'

"The other warriors agreed, and so they said to the she-cat, 'We will give you three tests, each proving that you have a trait for this thing we must name. And if you can pass all three of them, we shall name it after you.'

"The she-cat was incredibly pleased with this. 'What are these tests, then? Give them to me, right now!' she demanded. 'I can do them all before nightfall, I bet.'

"StarClan was amused by this. 'First, this ice is sneaky,' they said. 'It comes upon the land in the dead of night, freezing every branch or puddle or blade of grass. You must be sneaky as well. You must outwit…a fox.'

"If the she-cat was disturbed by this challenge, she didn't show it. Instead, the dirty she-cat gave them a wide grin.

"'Easy enough,' she purred to them, and they watched her spring into the forest. Quickly, the StarClan warriors hurried to watch.

"As it happened, there was indeed a fox in the forest, a fox with three small cubs. And so, this fox, this vixen, was very nervous; she was aware of every crackle in the forest, every sound, so protective was she of her cubs. The dirty she-cat found her and watched and learned, seeing how nervous the fox queen was. And she also knew that in order to feed three small cubs, she would have to hunt for herself.

"The dirty she-cat quickly devised a plan. To StarClan's surprise, she slunk away from the vixen, heading into the forest once more. She walked and walked, until she found an old badger's den. She entered it, and when she came out, she reeked of badgers. StarClan followed her as she headed back to the vixen's den. The vixen was ready to depart, and so she did, with the badger-smelling she-cat following her the whole way.

"The vixen was a good hunter, and soon carried a rabbit in her jaws. She was heading back to her den, only to find strange badger-scent in her way. Unnerved, the vixen turned to go another direction, only to find the scent blocking her way again. The vixen turned a third time, but the scent was there too.

"The vixen panicked, thinking that she was surrounded by the fierce creatures. With a yelp of fear, she dropped the rabbit and raced in the only direction without the badger-scent. She was so blinded by fear that she did not realize she was running towards the river, until it was too late. The earth, softened by rain and wind, crumbled beneath her paws, and she disappeared into the rushing river.

"The dirty she-cat picked up the vixen's rabbit, and brought it to the StarClan cats with a smile.

"'I have out-smarted the vixen, taking her prey and sending her tumbling into the river,' she purred. 'I have passed your first test.

"Without a doubt, StarClan was startled; they hadn't expected such a filthy cat to be so intelligent.

"'Don't worry,' said Tigerstrike, 'we still have two more tests for her to take. She-cat,' he said, nodding to her, 'that was a good trick. Here is the second task for you: this ice is extremely deadly. It creeps up on everything near the end of leaf-fall, and sometimes even the beginning of new-leaf. It kills unsuspecting plants and animals. You must be like this ice; deadly, unseen. You must kill ten things by nightfall.

"'And no insects, either,' said another StarClan cat quickly, seeing a loophole that the she-cat might use. She gave them a cheeky smile.

"'Understood,' she purred. 'Expect me back at nightfall.' And with that, she padded away.

"The she-cat began to hunt, and truly she was a magnificent hunter; she managed to catch a rabbit and a mouse in minutes, followed by a vole soon after. But it was soon apparent that she would not be able to catch ten things in time; by the time the sun was beginning to set in the sky, she had only caught six pieces of prey.

"The she-cat was worried now, but she was cunning; a plan for three easy kills entered her head, and she trotted back to the vixen's den. To her surprise, the vixen was there, wet and unhappy, but alive. She was sleeping in the entrance to where her cubs mewled and fought one another.

"Silently, the she-cat approached, before slashing at the vixen's muzzle. The vixen awoke, the badger scent still in her nose; she let out a bark of fury, charging at the she-cat.

"A monumental battle erupted, lasting for hours, almost until nightfall. The vixen was fast, but the she-cat was faster; the she-cat was strong, but the vixen was stronger. However, the vixen was already tired from her battle in the river, and finally the she-cat succeeded in killing her. Seeing that her time was almost up, the she-cat grabbed the vixen in her jaws, and slowly dragged her back to the StarClan cats.

"'I have killed this fox,' she said boldly, 'and I have completed your mission.'

"'We watched you hunt,' one of the StarClan warriors said. 'We saw you kill six pieces of prey, and this vixen as well. But that is only seven deaths. What about the other three? You have failed this test.'

"'At this, the she-cat smiled. 'No, I have not,' she said. 'Those three cubs are still alive, but they are too small to live without their mother's help. They cannot hunt for themselves. They will die within days. That brings my total kills to ten, for even though the cubs are not yet dead, I have sealed their fates.'

"StarClan was astonished; there was no denying that the fox cubs would die. Tigerstrike lashed his tail. 'We still have one more test for you,' he growled, and then smiled. 'There is one last thing that this ice is, besides sneaky and deadly. It is beautiful. And for it to be named for you, you must be beautiful as well.'

"StarClan purred at his words, for surely such a wild, fierce, dirty cat could not be beautiful. But to their surprise, the she-cat smiled.

"'You have to judge me for yourselves,' she said, 'for I will not be so vain as to declare myself beautiful.' She flicked her tail to them, and headed for the river where the vixen had nearly drowned before. And she went to the bank and slipped into the river, and for a moment she disappeared entirely from view. One StarClan warrior moved to leap into the river after her, fearing that she had drowned, but to their surprise a crisp white head appeared.

"A beautiful white she-cat padded out of the river, shaking her fur; it wasn't until StarClan saw a speck of mud still clinging to her fur that they realized this was the she-cat they had challenged. She was perfect, with gleaming green eyes, soft, silky fur, and more importantly, she was just as white as their ice.

"She gave them a smile, then purred, 'Do I pass this challenge as well?' and unanimously StarClan agreed.

"'You have passed our three challenges,' Tigerstrike said, and then dipped his broad head to her. 'What is your name, so that we might name our ice after you?'

"The she-cat smiled, and replied, 'My name is Frost.' And so, from that day forward, the ice that creeps forward silently, kills in the cold of leaf-bare, and is beautiful despite its danger, has been known as frost."

Falonpaw blinked. "That was a great story."  
Pantherclaw nodded. "Frost... one of the deadliest, no doubt, the sneakiest, and though I do not quite agree with beautiful... it is pretty."  
Falconpaw grinned, and then stood up, tired. His jaws gaped in a yawn. "Thank you." He murmured, backing out. He skirted the clearing to his den, tired. He fell asleep in his moss nest, the scales in the den shimmering and casting reflections of light over him like stars.

_He sauntered by a crystal stream, his eyes wide as he scanned his surroundings. The land had waving grasses, running creeks, and oaks and conifers scattered. _

_He could scent a cat on the breeze, and leapt back in alarm when he saw a huge grey tom padding toward him.  
"W- who are you?" he stammered._

_The tom looked at him gravely. "Beware, Falconpaw. The path you tread is dangerous, a one paved with peril."_

_He stared back, paws numb as stone. The cat turned and vanished, but a voice echoed where he had been, faint.  
_"The fierce falcon, his fate be free

Altered by the night's dire means

The leaf is bound by the son she died for

She hopes to save him from evil forevermore.

Paws turned from a path

A broken resolve

A fractured path- loyalty or love?


	7. Training Falcon

Falconpaw stretched awake, yawning, and the dream came rushing back.

The haunting words rang in Falconpaw's ears, and he shivered. The image of the grey tom was imprinted in his mind.  
What did it mean? Was it a prophecy, maybe? He could gather the tom had been warning him, but of what? The dream was slipping away like water through his paws, and the details were fuzzy as a caterpillar he'd caught as a kit. But the grave words were sticking in his head; he didn't know what to make of them, they were like an irritable thorn stuck in his paw...

But he was no medicine cat to interpret dreams- might it have been just that- a dream?

A paw prodded him. He looked up in alarm, only to fall back when he saw Waterpaw beside him, her head tilted.  
"What's wrong?" she meowed, eyes sparkling with worry. "You look like you had a nightmare."

"No, just a confusing... dream." He mewed. She stilled looked worried, but she got to her paws and said, "Lightstar called a meeting."  
He yawned, stretched, and pushed the dream out of his head. It was probably just was a dream.

Lightstar was sitting on the rock, looking frail. He sat near the back, trailing his paws in the dust. The sun beat on his back.

Soon every cat was gathered.  
"It is my pleasure to tell you that Treetail has kitted. We welcome Lynxkit and Rosekit to RiverClan."  
A few cats purred.

"Since Treetail will be unable to train Waterpaw now, I have decided to give her a new mentor who will finish her apprenticeship. Floodpelt, you will be Waterpaw's mentor."  
Falconpaw watched as his denmate and father touched noses, and he sighed. It was a happy event, with his father training his friend, and new life flourishing in the Clan, but the prophecy- for that was what he assumed it was- weighed his paws down.  
His mentor came up to him.

"Falconpaw." Emberwhisker greeted him. "I think it is high time you had a session of proper training-  
without interruptions- and hunting and maybe a few spars."  
Normally this would have been welcome, but Falconpaw sighed. "Okay."  
~~~~~~~~~****~~~~~~~~

The day was cloudy. Thunder rumbled, but no rain was there- yet. Falconpaw faced Waterpaw, eyes narrowed, determined to win this time. He circled like a hawk, keeping her in sight. She darted forward, and he jumped back, hissing when she grinned as she circled back.

He charged forward, paws thumping against the ground, the sound cutting off abruptly as he leapt into the air.  
Waterpaw scrabbled back in alarm, but too slowly, and he landed on her back. However, the broad shouldered apprentice mananged to shake him off. He landed on the ground, and blue silver paws pressed him there. "Alright!" he wheezed, furious he'd lost again.

Waterpaw stepped off, shaking her fur. Emberwhisker padded between them. "Falconpaw, you're smaller. Don't try to pin her. Use your advantages. Speed and stealth are on your side, so take heed of that. Try again."

This time he let Waterpaw attack, and he darted under her belly, butting upward. She tumbled back with a squeak.

Falconpaw purred. She was on her back, paws in the air, her fur dusty and messy.

She gave an indignant mew and got back up.

"Floodpelt flicked his gaze between them. "Waterpaw, you might want to roll when he does that. It'll help you keep balance. Falconpaw, that was good. Smaller cats usually work in pairs, though, to better their battle chances. I think, though, we will have you hunt now. Another four or three moons of training will finish up your apprenticeship. Now- I want both of you to go hunting. Come back with at least two pieces of prey."

Falconpaw trotted off toward the river, determined to fish more prey than any cat ever.

He leaned over the swift flowing water, looking at the low points and the white crests in the water. He stuck a paw out, his shadow trailing over the liquid, and frowned. All the fish were scattering the moment his paw fell over them.  
"Might want to make sure your shadow doesn't fall over the river." A voice mewed behind him. He craned his head around and saw Waterpaw twisting to bury a water vole.

He purred. "Thanks. " Adjusting himself, he darted out a fleeting paw, shivering at the cold of the river, and felt a fish brush against his paw. He quickly unsheathed his claws, but the fish had swum away.  
"Frog dung!" he hissed.  
"Don't worry!" Waterpaw said brightly, sitting beside him. "Just keep trying."  
So he attempted again, and again, and again. On his fourth try, a flopping, wriggling fish came up. He leapt back in alarm.

"Get it!" Waterpaw meowed, hopping back in surprise. Falconpaw struck with his claws, feeling them sink into the firm coolness of the fish. It flopped once more and fell still, shimmering.  
"Whoa!" Waterpaw breathed, and she rubbed her muzzle against his, purring. "That was amazing!"

Falconpaw sat down. "I can tell you a story about the first fish," he offered, feeling a little like a kit again.

She nodded. "Okay, I guess."

"Once a long time ago, when StarClan first roamed the skies, there was a tom called Water. He was named thus because of his tendency to flee, his wavering courage and his thin blue fur. He was skirted from group to group of cats. No one wanted him very long because he was, well, useless. He was hopeless in marsh hunting, noisy in woodland hunting, and too slow in moor hunting. No-one lived by the river at that time, as it flooded and was considered dangerous.  
"So Water thought he should try his luck by the river with no scathing words or nips of anger. At first life was good there; he was only one cat and there plenty of water birds and water voles for him to feast on.

But one day, eventually, news of the hunter passed n among the prey, and they hid. Leaf bare was coming; too, and Water had nothing to eat. He was starved and eventually the hunger drove him to try and cross the river back to the woodlands. But as he crossed, he noticed that there were things in the water, and he thought them strange. He used his paws to catch one, and saw that it was shiny and warm!

"He took a bite, and to his surprise, found that they were to his liking. So from then on, cats ate fish."

He finished his story, and then sprang up. "Oh no! We are supposed to catch two pieces of prey. We'd better hurry and catch two more."

He dashed off, sniffing, and saw a blackbird tugging a worm out of the ground. He slowly slunk toward it, breathing shallowly. He sprang, pinning as it flapped beneath his paws.  
A chill swept through the clearing. Falconpaw noticed that the leaves on the trees were turning crimson and gold and orange and were dropping off.

Leaf-fall had arrived.


	8. The Battle

Wind blew around Falconpaw's ears as he stalked down the border, searching for someone: Batpaw. The young, reckless apprentice hadn't been seen since Falconpaw had been by the river with Waterpaw, and Silverclaw had angrily demanded a search be put out.

He raised his muzzle, inhaling deeply. He noticed with a touch of puzzlement a Twoleg kit running in the distance with something swinging from its paw, and wearing a black, furry pelt with a tail and whiskers. He was faintly amused- was that supposed to be a _cat? _He saw many kits with different pelts and poking at dens around and receiving something. Snorting, he continued to track Batpaw's scent, eyes narrowed as the river and ThunderClan border blocked him. The stench was overwhelming, but he could detect a trace of Batpaw layered over it.

He saw a sheltered gully in the Sunningrocks.  
So the apprentice had crossed the river! Wind blew strongly, carrying the stench of the Thunderpath. Falconpaw slid in the water, shivering at the cold, and paddled across. He slipped on the bank and shook himself quietly.

He saw a flash of gray and ginger and whit in the rocks and ran toward it, slowing when he turned a corner of the rocks.  
What he saw shocked him. Batpaw was in the gully, curled with a small, white apprentice who smelt strongly of ThunderClan.

"Batpaw!" he cried. "What're you doing?"

Batpaw leapt up, moving in front of the apprentice. "I... I..."

"As for _her,"_ he spat in disgust, indicating the crouched white she cat watching him with a horror struck expression with a flick of his tail, "She's a no good ThunderClanner! They tried to take WindClan territory."

The she cat glared at Falconpaw, her eyes like slits and her creamy fur bristling.

"Excuse me?" she hissed. "WindClan took from us, fish breath. All you do is sit like fat lumps on the river and watch us starve!"

He shoved his muzzle into hers. "Shut up, mouse heart! My mother died in that battle- not like you lost anyone, and now you go and do this!"

He stared in contempt at them both. Batpaw was shrunk against the mud, eyes wide and fearful.

Falconpaw thought he heard something, but he was too fired up to stop.

The apprentice of ThunderClan stepped forward, claws extended. "My leader and father was killed in that war! Morningstar was killed by RiverClan."

Falconpaw bared his teeth, and suddenly they were wrestling on the bank, claws tearing and fur flying. "Falconpaw! Blizzardpaw! No!" Batpaw wailed. He hovered by them; not sure to fight for the apprentice he liked or his adopted littermate and Clanmate.

"_Ha- _On our territory-_ ha_- messing with us-" he panted as they rolled.

He heard a splash on the river, and then thundering of paws in the forest. He scrambled up, backing away, ears flat.

A RiverClan battle party was crossing the river, Lightstar at the front, Robinfur by her side, his father swimming in the flank, and a few other warriors. He was bemused; why had a battle party come? But then he looked around, and saw a line of ThunderClan warriors standing against the tree, eyes flashing.

But as he loked up, he thought he saw a cloud of black, and he stared at it. It snarled, eyes glowing.

The name flitted through his mind, sending fury crashing and raging over him, sweeping him in, burning like flames.

_Nightfire!_

She stalked around him, the words that Falconpaw had nearly forgotten of slipping mockingly from her mouth.

"The fierce falcon, his fate be free

Altered by the night's dire means

The leaf is bound by the son she died for

She hopes to save him from evil forevermore.

Paws turned from a path

A broken resolve

A fractured path- loyalty or love?"

"Dear, dear." She meowed, smirking cruelly. "Looks like you aren't as bright, are you? Nothing more than a stupid little kit out for the best... just like your dearest little mother, you are, but wait... you'll never know her!"

Falconpaw screeched and lashed at her, but the moment his paws swiped her, she vanished. He was infuriated. He wanted to tear her to pieces, and he vowed then and there.

_I will get rid of her if it's the last thing I do!_

_...  
_The RiverClan battle party reached shore, bristling. "You are on our territory!" yowled Lightstar angrily at the ThunderClan. A snarl curled Redstar's muzzle.

"We have let you keep Sunningrocks far too long!" he declared. "It is time to reclaim what is rightfully ours. ThunderClan! Attack!"  
In a yowling wave, teeth and claws descended upon RiverClan. Falconpaw found himself faced by a broad shouldered she cat with short, patchy fur. She swiped at his face, and he rolled. She followed him, and he tripped her into the river. She wailed and he ran off.

He saw Waterpaw pinned under a black tom, and he ran to help her, fury burning through him. He barreled into the tom, snarling furiously. He channeled his anger into his paws, and together they fought off the tom. Falconpaw had a split ear and bloody gash, and Waterpaw limped on her paws.

But with anger, he saw ThunderClan had obviously won. But then a yowl ripped the clearing.  
With a growing sense of horror, he saw a dead body lying in the clearing.  
It was Blizzardpaw.  
Batpaw gasped behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Batpaw, you have broken the warrior code severely. I will have to punish you." Lightstar meowed.  
"You aren't going to... exile me- are you?" he whimpered.  
Lightstar shook her muzzle. "No. But you will be confined to camp for a half moon tending to the elders. You will get last pick of fresh kill. And your warrior ceremony will be delayed."  
Batpaw dipped his head, and Falconpaw murmured in sympathy; it was a harsh punishment and the apprentice he'd loved was dead.

But much as he worried for the apprentice, the promise he had made before the battle was his only priority now.

**Oh, surprise for all who thought Bat would die! I confess was going to off him, but I was so attached I just COULDN'T (it was much less attachment then Goldleaf though, that was really hard to kill her. Let's have a silent tribute for her. *bows head in silence*) So I killed off Blizzardpaw instead. Convient, eh? There goes the problem of Batpaw's loyalty. I apologize if I sound like a heartless killer. I assure you I am not :) **

**For reference, readers, (so pleased to see new faces! It makes my day to see all those kind reviews, 'specially after a long day at 7****th**** grade :O) Goldleaf and Floodpelt's theme song is Gone, Gone, Gone- or before they became mates, Teardrops on my Guitar. Both would be Goldleaf to Floodpelt, but take it how you all like~ The Frost story once again isn't mine, it's Prin Pardus's. The fish story, however, is.**

**Jayfeather- yes, RiverClan does love stories, and it's easier to get over 1000 words with a story ;)**

**Gingershade, I know, they are cute! *pinches Falcon's cheek* *receives a clawing* Ow!  
Nyan Kitty, thanks again for reviews ;) **

**WOW! Longest ever A/N, though I do yammer on a lot. Sorry~**


	9. Scarlet Berries

Falconpaw woke up, yawning, and he got up. He padded out the dirtplace tunnel, went, and came back through the tunnel. Rain spattered down, making the camp muddy. Falconpaw padded in, shaking as an orange leaf fell between his ears. Leaf fall was fully here, and RiverClan was in a grim mood. A thick mantle of guilt had fallen on Falconpaw, he felt all churned up like the land that used to be SkyClan's. He was worried about the fifth Clan, the death of Blizzardpaw, Batpaw's misery and hopelessness, the loss of Sunningrocks, and most of all, Nightfire.  
"Falconpaw," Emberwhisker meowed as he came out. "Would you mind hunting? The elders and kits are hungry."

He was slinking back out of camp to hunt for the dwindling fresh kill pile, when a cat came in front of him. He bared his teeth, thinking immediately of Nightfire.

But it was not.  
It was his mother. _

"Falconpaw," she meowed urgently, not seeing the shock on her son's face, "I came to tell you that you must-"  
"Falconpaw!" A voice yowled. He turned to see Waterpaw and Batpaw. When he looked back she was gone.

"My mentor told me to come hunt," she growled grumpily. "And Cricketpaw told me to get some dumb berry."

"Why so down?" he queried. "Normally you're like a bright, annoying little furball-"  
"Who are you calling furball?" she interrupted, eyeing his pelt, which was much thicker. "Anyway- I was in this great dream, but then Floodpelt poked me awake and I had to come out in this stupid _rain._"

Almost on cue, a fat raindrop rolled off a leaf and splattered her nose. She rolled her eyes and trudged past him. "Cricketpaw wants some supplies," she pawed at a small bundle of leaves with a goo seeping from them, "And I only need a berry- it starts with _j._"

"Juniper?" guessed Falconpaw.

"I guess so- do you know what it looks like?"  
"Er- not really. But how many berries are there? We'll find it."  
He delicately padded over the marshiest areas, eyes scouting for berries. He saw a dark leaved shrub with bright scarlet clusters, and waved his tail to Waterpaw.  
"Juniper, do you think?"  
"Erm... I guess?"

Falconpaw grasped a cluster with his teeth and tugged. He felt the scarlet berries break off, and he stumbled back, gagging as one split and the juice and pulp rolled down his tongue.  
Suddenly, a starburst of agony hit him, radiating out over him. He fell to the ground, jaws agape in a silent scream; his stomach felt like it was in flames...

He blacked out.

_What was he? Did he exist? Could he see or hear?  
Upon opening them, he discovered he had eyes. He knew his name and where he came from... but mostly, that was all. A sprawling forest stretched of him, twinkling and inviting. He started to pad toward it, and then halted. Behind him he saw a large looming forest. The bark on the trees was very dark. It looked black and devoid of any light or warmth.  
Black moss draped the limbs of the trees, and he saw eyes glittering._

_A sluggish river bordered where his paws lay and that beyond. He tentatively prodded the water, curling his lip with disgust at the oily like water. _

_He felt an urge to go to the starry forest. It was almost...magnetic._

_He started to walk, his paws moving of their own accord. But he paused at the treeline when a cat, gray and well framed blocked his path.  
"Who are you? Get out of the way." He mewed irritably.  
"It is not time for you to come here." He said, gently nudging Falconpaw's shoulder._

_As the cold nose touched his fur, feeling lanced down his spine, and he  
_Woke.

He was in a large, reed woven den. The moment his eyes fluttered open, he felt a paw prey open his jaws, and something cool and bitter placed in his throat.

"Chew." A rough mew told him. He saw Streamsong bent over him. He chewed, swallowed. His body convulsed and he vomited, hazily seeing red in the sick.

His stomach churned, and he coughed hard, feeling weak and trembly.  
"Look." Streamsong rolled the plump scarlet berries branch, eyes hard. "_Never, ever _touch these _again. _Two would kill you- and only two! You accidently swallowed part of one, and it made you very ill."

A small brown face peered over her. "Why did you eat them?" Cricketpaw inquired worriedly.  
"We thought they were juniper..." he murmured.  
A silver muzzle poked in, trembling. "Can I come in?"

It was Waterpaw. "Only for a bit, he needs to rest!" Streamsong growled.

**(Yes. I ****_am _****aware she sounds like Madam Pomfrey from HP. ;))**

"I'm so sorry, Falconpaw... I... I really thought those were juniper!" her voice was strange, like she was about to burst into tears.  
**~And to note- I know cats can't cry!**

"It's fine." He mumbled, sleep pressing on his eyes. Waterpaw blinked at him once more, but the warm grip of sleep had caught him, and he spiraled out of the den into sleep.

***yawns with exhaustion* Anyone think Falcon should have a ceremony in... say, the next two-three chaps? Give me honest answers- if you think it's too soon, I won't bite ;)**


	10. A Ceremony for a Falcon

Falconpaw woke up, his stomach rumbling_. Apparently, near death experiences made a cat hungry,_ he mused.

Yawning, he stretched, wrinkling his nose at the scent of the medicine den. Why Cricketpaw had ever wanted to live in this den was a mystery.  
He padded into the clearing, weak dawn rays lighting up his pelt. He shook out his rumpled, moss and leaf stuck fur.

The fresh kill pile was low, and the air held a definite chill. He left the few bits of prey for Treetail and her kits. They would need it more.

He left camp, heading toward the river. Fish would be lesser now and he intended to catch many.

His eyes widened in surprise when he saw a thin layer of ice coating the river. It was frosty, thin, and would probably shatter if he pressed it, but still...

He clawed a hole in, yelping in surprise as ice cold water lapped at him hungrily.

Unsurprisingly, a flurry of silver rippled the water as the fish swam away. He sniffed angrily.  
"Furball." He heard a chuckle behind him and turned to see Floodpelt.  
"Father!" he meowed, drawing himself up.  
"Falconpaw. Do you mind if I help?"  
"No, 'course not."

Floodpelt settled beside him and outstretched his claws. "The thing is, in this weather... catching prey is difficult. You have to wait a bit before you can hunt."

Looking down he saw silver fish flitting in the water again. A smirk curled his maw. If he saw something sharp in the water he'd stay away.  
He poised his paw over the water, still. Then he splashed down. All the fish swam away again.  
Muttering under his breath, he drew back. Floodpelt smirked at his son, though not mean spiritedly.

He nodded. "You do it this way."  
Sticking his paw in the water, wincing at the cold, he remained still. All the fish soon came back in a shimmering cloud of silver. Quick as lightning, Floodpelt lashed out, coming up a flopping, slippery fish.

Falconpaw hit it with his paw, and with a last flop it went limp.

"Now that's how you do it!" Floodpelt meowed, stepping back. "Now you try it out."

Falconpaw padded up to river, balling up his paw. All the fish had gone, so he picked another spot, plunging his paw into the current, his fur absorbing the cold liquid.

He swiped out, his claws sinking in a fish. He brought it up and laid it by Floodpelt's.  
"Good job." His father purred approvingly. "I'm going on patrol now, see you at camp."

~~~~~~~~~  
Many failed attempts and cold plunges later, Falconpaw had two big fish and a few minnows. He heard rustling in the reeds and Batpaw emerged.  
"Hi, Batpaw." mewed Falconpaw, shaking with cold. "Do you mind-"  
"Helping you carry those? Okay." Though the sentence was friendly, ice lay behind his words and bitter anger flamed in his eyes.  
He seized a fish and walked stiff legged off.  
"Batpaw," called Falconpaw, thoroughly confused, "What's wrong?"  
"Why would there be anything wrong?" growled Batpaw, his mew muffled by the fish.

"Well, you sound angry at me-"  
"Really, Falconpaw! I never thought I would say this, but you're _stupid. _Think. Yo just had to pick a fight with Blizzardpaw, and that made her weaker, and then she got killed- and it's your entire fault!" He flung the fish down into the dirt, ruining it, and ran off.  
Falconpaw stood stock still, mind still whirring to process what happened just now.  
"Why does he hate me?" he said angrily. Then he grabbed a fish and stalked off. _

A light dusting of snow had fallen over camp that night.  
Falconpaw, groggy with sleep, albeit a fitful one, woke suddenly as a snowflake hit his nose.  
He mulled over his current situation. His own adopted littermate hated him, a cat had died which would make the Clan across the river vengeful, they had lost territory, he had nearly died hours ago, and an evil spirit was stalking him day and night.

_It really brought out the festivity of it all,_ he thought glumly. _My life feels like one big ball of fun. _

Not. He hardly could scrape up anything to cheer him.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As he sat awake in the darkness of the apprentice den, shivering as snowfall kept up outside and making him shudder violently, he almost knew mother felt once, with her Clanmates unknowing of her problems and being so... oblivious.

The only cat he found warmth or comfort in was his young cousins Lynxkit and Rosekit, his father, and Waterpaw.  
When he thought of her, small warmth kindled in him, flickering at first, but growing strong. He didn't quite have a name for the strange emotion.

But soon with it burning within him, it beat away the cold and sheltered him, and he fell asleep.

He woke to a bright face, radiating happiness.  
"Today's the day!" Waterpaw exclaimed, prancing around. "I can't believe it, I-"  
"Wait, what?" he said, grinning at her. Last night's mood had made him bright and glowy inside- he would be amazed if he couldn't see rays beaming from his fur.

"Our assessments!" she exclaimed. "I heard Floodpelt and Emberwhisker talking about it and they said it would be today!"

He stared at her and then whooped. It had been so long since he'd felt so joyful. But then a quiet hiss interrupted the reverie.  
"Shut up- I'm trying to sleep." Batpaw growled, one eye half open.  
"Fine, Mr. Grumpypaws. Guess you DON'T want to be a warrior." huffed Waterpaw at her brother, rolling her pretty amber eyes.

"Any smart cat would be resting for it," retorted Batpaw.  
"I don't know what's gotten into you!" exclaimed Waterpaw.  
Batpaw flicked his tail. "Whatever. Just don't bother me." He shot a glare at Falconpaw and pointedly turned his back.  
Suddenly a small brown face poked in, postiviley bouncing on his paws.  
"Oh, hi, Cricketpaw." Falconpaw greeted him.

"No!" Cricketpaw said, beaming, "It's actually Cricket_song _ now!"  
"Great job, Cricketsong." Waterpaw told her brother.

Cricketsong beamed and then padded out, new confidence seeping from him.  
Emberwhisker entered the den, and said, "Well, thanks to this one, you surely know what I am here for. Let's go, you three."

He saw Batpaw's mentor, Creamfrost, sitting neatly beneath an overhang. She smiled at Falconpaw. "You do remind me of your mother." She said wistfully.

That was the strange thing about grief. No matter how long ago tragedy had happened, one whiff or reminder of the loss and it came back powerful as ever.

But he raised his muzzle and said boldly, "I hope I am." She nodded, and then said, "Well... let's go."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The day was crisp and cool and clear, a few cirrus clouds floated above and the sun shone, but it offered little warmth.  
Falconpaw struck a hole in the ice, cursing as a shard of ice drove into his pad. Blood swirled into the water like crimson feathers, and he licked it dry till all the blood was gone.  
Fish were floating beneath the surface, and he snatched out a large, shimmering trout, pride and confidence flowing through him.

He ended up with a small water vole, a couple fish, and a wren.

Which surely would pass him off for hunting- he hoped- but sparring he wasn't sure on. Waterpaw was a better fighter than him, and he fervently hoped he found it n him to have victory.

But to his surprise, he found himself pitted against Batpaw, whose eyes were driven by much more than urge to become a warrior. He was still furious at his adopted brother, his eyes glittered with it and breath hissed from between his teeth.

"Go." Commanded Floodpelt, coughing quietly.  
Batpaw thrust himself at Falconpaw, paws flashing. Falconpaw rolled, one paw out to trip Batpaw, who nimbly dodged it and raked a half sheathed paw down his denmate's side. Falconpaw snarled and battered his hind paws against Batpaw, blows falling like a greenleaf rain.

He planted his paws down, holding on, clamping down even as Batpaw writhed, ashamed he had been bested at his own fighting move.  
"Stop!" Floodpelt ordered, and Batpaw fell still in a furious silence.  
"Let's go back," Floodpelt meowed, eyes filled with love and pride as he looked at his son. "There are warrior ceremonies to arrange for you three." _

Falconpaw groomed his pelt speedily and then padded out of the tunnel, butterflies flapping in him as he saw his Clanmates in the clearing and his leader perched atop the rock.  
"All cats old enough to swim, gather beneath the rock for a Clan meeting." Her meow rang out clearly.  
The ones who weren't already there came out, and they parted for Batpaw, Waterpaw, and Falconpaw.  
Her eyes gleamed at them.  
She said, "I, Lightstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turns. Falconpaw, Waterpaw, and Batpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Without a doubt, he knew his future lay here and now, and with no hesitance, he said, "I do."He heard the echoes of his denmates, and took a breath, willing himself to be all he could be.

Lightstar cast her blue eyes over them, stopping on Batpaw. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Batpaw, from this moment you will be known as Batwing. StarClan honors your kindness and willingness and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan. Waterpaw, from this moment you shall be known as Waterblaze. StarClan honors your kindness and bravery and we welcome you as a full warrior."

She looked down at Falconpaw, her gaze searching, questioning, and he heard a small seed of implanted doubt as she called, "Falconpaw, from this moment you shall be known as Falconheart. StarClan honors your courage and loyalty."

Loyal? Was he truly... loyal? For the first time, Falconheart doubted if he was completely. But shaking away the feeling, he heard the cheers, eyes breaking away as he heard a tiny, kitlike cough break in... Rosekit. He hoped she was alright. But then, he went into the warriors' den, looking arund pridefully at his new home.  
Suddenly, a loud, sharp meow came from outside. "Please. You both need to come into the medicine den."  
To his horror, Falconheart saw his father, protesting to Streamsong as rough coughs broke into his meows.

"I'm-" _cough- _"fine!" Floodpelt rasped.

"Oh no you're not. You are no better than Rosekit."

An ominous feeling fell over him, cloaking his joy.

What good was being a warrior if he couldn't even protect those he cared about the most?

**Looks like there was a kind of winner on the poll and that was Falconblaze... but the name doesn't fit him in my book. I wanted a name that could clearly define him. ^^ But does anyone like Waterblaze's name? It even condintracts itself!** Wow, long chapter again!


	11. Coldness

**For those who noticed, I changed the title and Teardrop's title, because this will be a trilogy, and I want to make that clear. :D**  
Falconheart padded away from his father, deeply troubled, and swerved toward the nursery. He saw Treetail stirring in her sleep with Lynxkit pawing at an imaginary foe.

"Hello," he purred.

The lean, mottled kit looked up at him. "Are you Falconpaw?" he squeaked, his large amber eyes blinking at Falconheart.

"No," he corrected his younger kin, "I'm Falconheart now." He relished the sound of it.  
"Will you go tell Rosekit to get better so we can play battle?" he asked Falconheart, his eyes troubled.  
Falonheart's chest stirred with pity. "Of course," he told Lynxkit. He then left; his eyes wide as he smelt a strange, sour, bitter scent on the breeze. It was reminiscent of greencough, but not quite... almost... stronger?  
Suddenly, Cricketsong raced out of the medicine den, almost yowling in panic.

"What's wrong?" Falconheart called, dashing after him.

"Blackcough! In camp! Rosekit, Streamsong, and Floodpelt have all caught it, and it's the worst sickness- and we're nearly out of catmint for it!"  
"_What?" _Falconheart gasped. _The medicine cat has it? And my father and kin? StarClan- no!  
_"Then where are we going?" He certainly planned to gather as much catmint as he could.  
"To get catmint," Cricketsong panted, "But blackcough takes hold very fast and is deadly-"  
"Don't say it," growled Falconheart, paws still thumping the ground, "They must recover. They _have_ to. Where's the catmint?"

"Farm." Cricketsong replied as they sped across what used to be SkyClan land.

When they stopped, a big bushel of catmint was growing by a rotten log. Most was black and frost burned, but a few mouthfuls remained.  
Falconheart bit off a precious few stems, rejecting the sweet flavor seeping into his jaw, forcing himself not to swallow.  
Crickersong turned with a wad in his jaws, and nodded. "Leth go, Falconhearth." he mewed, muffled by the leaves.

Falconheart turned and they both ran back home.

A loud, raping cough emitted from the den. Falconheart shouldered around his adoptive brother and gaped when he saw Rosekit, fragile, patchy furred, and breathing shallowly in her sleep; his father, scrawny and sick looking, Streamsong, coughing with moisture wet in her eyes and her nose streaming.

Cricketsong nudged a few leaves toward all of them, turning rigidly still when he laid them beside Rosekit.

A bitter stench filled the air.

"Rosekit... she's dead!"  
_

Treetail would not come out of her den for days. She was too sick with grief to nurse Lynxkit, who had to subside on mushed up fish.

The death of Rosekit had hit all of them hard, and with her passing, Streamsong and Floodpelt grew worse. With no catmint left, leafbare holding them in an icy grip, and with the Clans so at odds with each other, it was a grim time.

Falconheart huddled in the warriors den, shivering and curling tighter against the ice water dripping onto his fur as the ice melted on them, just barely heated from so many bodies in the den.

Snow whirled outside, howling with the wind. No cat was attempting hunt; it was a job enough just to keep warm now, and all prey was for the elders, kit, and sick cats. There wasn't a night a warrior could remember being full. The river was frozen so thickly and solid, it would almost be easier to crack open Sunningrocks, for their attempts.

Falcónheart stumbled into the camp clearing from his relatively non-frozen nest, and went into Lightstar's den. She was not asleep, just sitting up and staring at the mouth of her den with a bleak look.

"Lightstar," Falcconheart meowed, his voice cracked and hoarse from no use, "We can't do this anymore."

He was referring to the constant cold and hunger. And the fact that Pebblewing, an elder, had been found frozen to death in her den a day ago.  
"We must find prey!" he said, almost yowling to be heard over the scream of the wind. "We have to ask for help, or we'll all die of hunger."

He knew if pride won over sense in this one, RiverClan was going to perish.

"But the other Clans have as much or less prey than us," Lightstar said.  
"Still! We have to _try!"  
_Lightstar nodded. "Get Robinfur. Tell him to order a patrol to each Clan."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The brown deputy nodded slowly, the red lock of fur on his chest dull with snow. "Falconheart, you can take a patrol to ThunderClan. Pick three cats and go now. I'll do the others."

Falconheart nodded and whisked off.  
He saw an older warrior in a nest. Thrushfeather... he had experience. So he tapped the grey cat on the shoulder, told him the mission, and left him to get up while he picked one more cat.  
He saw Batwing, but the moment Falconheart laid eyes on him, he firmly turned his back.

_So he was out of the question, _reflected Falconheart angrily,_ Who else?  
_He wouldn't dare take Waterblaze at this storm, though he would have loved to have her presence by him...

So who?

He then saw his former mentor. Of course he would take Emberwhisker, who needed to get out from grieving for Rosekit.  
He padded over to him, head lowered to blunt the wind. He asked his old mentor to come, and upon his consent, they set off.

_

They easily crossed the iced over river, and warily set foot on the frozen river. No sooner than had they crossed the border than when they were surrounded by burly, hostile looking warriors.

"What are you doing on our territory, fish breath?" one spat at Falconheart. Though he had rippling muscles, he could see the way their pelts clung to them. They were only a little better off than RiverClan!

"We must see Redstar." meowed Falconheart, his stomach audibly grumbling.  
The ThunderClan cats looked at them hard, but seeing how weak they were, they assented and led them to their camp.

When they got there, Falconheart stepped forward to speak to the leader, but his eye caught a cat standing in the shadows. His eyes fell upon a small tom apprentice with jet black fur, dark brown paws, and ice blue eyes. He looked awfully familiar, the set of his jutted chin, and they color of his fur._  
_And a familiar voice, one from a black, ghostly she cat with features like the tom who stood before him, whispered,

_"Oh yes, Falconheart... meet my son."_

**A/N~ **

**For those who do not gather above, Nightfire, in her ghostly form, just told Falconheart he is looking at her son. How can she have had a kit, you may ask, because there wasn't enough time for that? **

**Well, for those who****_ do _****know how kits are made, she did that right after she left RiverClan... which by my timeline agrees with the story. *blush* For those younger readers, when ya get into middle school, you'll know. . **

**Well, who did she have a kit with? Anyone remember that creepy ginger tom with****_ blue eyes_**** Goldpaw met at a Gathering so long ago? Yup, that's him. *shudder* Well, no one can say now they aren't looking forward to the next chappie!**

**Anywho, those who knew kawaii-nyan- kitty, this chapter is in honor of her. She left FF, and I will miss her dearly. :'(**


	12. Frozenpaw

_Your son... _

His gaze was frozen on the little black apprentice, when a massive Redstar loomed in front of him. "What do you want?" he growled.

Falconheart could not stop his gaze from flicking to their fresh kill pile, which was a tiny, snow covered mound with some prey- prey! Falconheart's jaws watered and he gulped. "We come to ask for help," he meowed quietly, dipping his head. This kind of thing had to be subtly- too rude or brash looking got you a spit in the face and a clawing- too weak got the same sort of result, without the claws. But being hesitant and polite usually had fair outcomes.

"Help for what?"

"RiverClan is on the brink of starvation. We cannot go on without food-"  
"-You have the river-"  
"And it is frozen solid." Desperation crept into his mew now.  
Redstar stared at him. "We can't give you any food. We just have enough for ourselves."

Annoyance lanced through him, doubled when he saw the slight son of Nightfire smirk at him. He glared hatred at that cat, who looked so like his mother, the killer...

He drew himself up. "Then we will perish, and the guilt will lie on you," he growled, "And rightfully so, letting an innocent Clan who you stole territory from _die-"_

This did make Redstar angry, he hissed. "We did nothing of the sort, fish brain! Sunningrocks is rightfully ours!"

Behind him, Thrushfeather snorted resentfully. "Sure, Redstar. Tell yourself that- if it helps you sleep at night."

ThunderClan surged forward, stung by the insult, and the party of three exchanged glances. "Move out!" Falconheart ordered, leaping over the heads of the warriors and bounding out of the bared teeth.

So immersed were they in escape, they did not notice a small black apprentice called Frozenpaw slip quietly out of camp.

((Frozenpaw's POV))

Frozenpaw stared coolly at the dumbstruck RiverClanner. As far as he was concerned, these Clans wore their hearts right on their sleeves, and he was certainly not prone to be that foolish, not with such a disastrous outcome. After all, living with a dumb father and dead mother could lead to more emotions than a cat should have, but such case was opposite in Frozenpaw's case.

No... he had a mysterious... lack of emotion. It puzzled him. But it was not wise to dwell on such things at such a crucial time, he must focus on tracking the RiverClan warrior who he knew was someone his mother had desire for vengeance on. He knew not why, but she had told him to make him suffer...

And, he must obey his parents. He felt mostly cold purpose, occasional anger or hate, but rarely joy or happiness... and never love. He had observed the others with such feelings, noticing how they wre often set from the path by those emotions.  
But he was not so. He had only one goal, drummed relentlessly into him by his mother when he slept:  
_Get revenge on_ _the falcon._  
_

With discouragement and uncomfortable rumbling stomachs, the patrol returned through the thick blanket of snow. More clouds overhead threatened another blizzard, and Falconheart was sure that some cat would not make it if they didn't eat soon.  
But they were pleasantly surprised- Featherstar had yielded a small mouse and two rabbits, a very generous offer, and ShadowClan gave, though quite reluctantly, a lizard- most unappetizing. But now was no time to be picky. Falconheart wolfed down the chunk of faintly warm meat, crunching it down, feeling blood break over his tongue and course warmly down his gullet.  
When he was finished, he felt pleasantly full. He hadn't felt that way for days.

Of course, the good things never could last. A dark brown muzzle poked in. "Falconheart," he whispered, voice cracking, "You'd better come... say good bye. Floodpelt... is dying."  
_

The snow had not only frozen his pads... but he couldn't process it. He was in the den, over his father, as if to protect him, but the gray warrior was being killed from the inside out.

"Falcon-heart," rasped Floodpelt weakly, dying throes wracking his body, coughs shaking him, shaking away the remainder of warmth, of light, of love.

"My son... I'm... so...so proud... you're extraordinarily like your mother."

"No! You'll live... come on...Cricketsong, get catmint! Do something!"  
But the brown tom just shook his head hopelessly. "There is nothing I can do, Falconheart. StarClan is calling him."  
"Falconheart... do something for me..." Floodpelt whispered, breath rattling as it faded from him. Falconheart could feel; his father's heartbeats were pulsing slow, weak, and fading.  
"What is it, father?"  
"Forgive... and love... good-bye, my son. You follow your path..."

"Father! No! Don't die- You can't-"

But his protests fell on no ears, for then his father's head fell down, and his chest grew still, cold crept over his body.

He thought, dimly, he could see a gray, wraithlike smoke twine with a paler yellow form before dissipating.

"Falconheart-" Cricketsong croaked.

"Just... leave please. Don't call anyone in. Go. Leave me...and my father."

He buried his nose in Floodpelt's fur, already cooling in the chill air, feeling numb. His mind couldn't process the fact that he was gone.

Then he felt a sense of security flood him, but he knew it was false. His father, his last parent, his last link to blood family, was dead, gone forever, and nothing more would ever be the same. _

Frozenpaw cut a wide berth around the rocks. He could see the rustle of RiverClan ahead, and looked over his shoulder. He would need to break with ThunderClan, but that was a small cost. He had no relationships he cared for there.

He smirked. Oh, how unsuspecting these cats would be... all but his target, who would likely know who he was. After all, he looked like his mother, but he did inherit his father's frost blue eyes, resulting in the name he despised.

He rolled in a patch of ice and leaves, making his fur damp, muddy, and scrapped with bits of forest. He wrinkled his nose at the mess on his fur, but such discomfort was necessary for the plan.

One had to look pitiful to be taken in.

He darted quickly, unseen by any, across the river. Out of pure spite and haughtiness he marked their border. He could claim it an accident if any suspicions arose, but he knew he mustn't be so reckless. Suspicion could lead to the downfall of him. So he mustn't be odd. Important to the plan.  
He masked his face of the cold purpose, and put on what he hoped was a lost, frightened face.

He smiled with no warmth as he glimpsed himself in a puddle. Perfect. He looked great, according to the plan.

For the first time, a flicker of doubt ran through him-what was this for? He'd been given no details. But he shook it off. He must concentrate.

He had to take...revenge.


	13. Broken

**Sorry it's been so long and this is so short, I have been SO busy!**

Frozenpaw maneuvered up to the entrance of camp, steeling himself for what he had been told to do. He gently placed his paw in his jaws. Then, with a brace, he quickly snapped his paw, breaking the bone. A howl of pain slipped out of his jaws, and the world started to spin. He gritted his teeth, determined to hang on to consciousness.

A scuffle of paws barely reached his ears, and he saw two identical brown faces staring at him. "What in the name of StarClan!" they both exclaimed at the same time. But then he heard no more as pain squeezed all his energy away, and he blacked out.

Falconheart lay in his den, staring numbly at nothing. He thought he felt a warm body pressed comfortingly against his, but he couldn't be sure unless he turned his head, and that was something he must not do.

He a little angry that they had placed his father like he was sleeping, that they had cloaked the scent of emptiness on him. He wasn't going to ever come back, and it was stupid to pretend so.  
But he missed him.  
Hiis father.

His father. His last link to his mother.

Gone for good.

Dead...

~~~~~~~~~~~

The sharp, bitter scent of herbs filled his nose, and throbbing pounded on his paw. He peered out of the den, blinking when he saw a dead cat lying in the clearing. The scent of greencough and very faint blackcough, filled the air. It was coming from a blue and cream she cat in the center. Her breath was shallow and uneven. Frozenpaw rolled his eyes. Obviously the she cat would die, so why waste herbs on her? These cats made no sense.  
He raised his head, eyes widening slightly as they saw they thick white cobwebs bundled on his paw. Congealed blood was drying on the strands. He masked his face as the brown tom walked in. "Who are you and what the hell did you do to your paw?"  
" 'Do to?' I didn't 'do,' anything!" Frozenpaw lied hotly.  
The tom smirked, "Don't play dumb, apprentice. I found your scent and spit all over your paw!"  
Frozenpaw gaped at him, then mumbled something.

"What was that?" Cricketsong asked quietly, a small smile flickering across his muzzle.  
"I don't know what you're getting at." muttered Frozenpaw sullenly.

Cricketsong gazed sharply at the dark little apprentice with a snapped paw. He didn't know what the crude tom was up to, but he would find out.

In the meanwhile, though, he would go sit vigil for Floodpelt, his adopted brother's father.

He'd appoint a guard.

That apprentice had to be watched.


	14. The Single Suspect

Falconheart was roused from his solemn, if somewhat numb, vigil by Waterblaze. She was staring at him with worry lighting her angular face. "Falconheart, it isn't right to grieve like this. You haven't eaten at all."  
"Like there's any food to spare," he whispered, his voice cracking from lack of moisture, into the frigidness. "I don't mind. Not hungry." As if in protest, his stomach gurgled loudly, unnaturally loud in the frost laced air.

Waterblaze shook her head, remaining stubborn. "Food. Now." She ordered.

He sighed. "Waterblaze..."  
She flicked her tail at Floodpelt's snow flecked pelt. "Look!" she told him, nudging his ice cold, stiff remains. "He's in StarClan, like you'll be soon if you don't eat."

"I just can't take it!" He exploded. "My parents, Rosekit, Pebblewing- all of them are _dead. Gone,_ never _ever_ coming back.._. _and... and..."

"And... what?" she pressed gently, curling next to him. "You can tell me, y'know. I don't bite... contrary to popular belief." She chuckled quietly.

"Nightfireandherson." He mumbled quickly.

"What? Speak slower."

"Nightfire... and her son." He said, the words rolling off his tongue ever so easily as the heavy weight lightened a little with confession.

"Nightfire. She killed Goldleaf. The elder warriors hush it up, but I know it happened." She spoke blatantly. "Her... son? Who?"

"I don't know his name. He's a black tom, apprentice, with these pale blue eyes...like ice."

Waterblaze's eyes paled in shock. "Um, well..."

He got to his paws. "What? Waterblaze, what's wrong?"

"An apprentice with a fractured paw was found outside the camp yesterday with that exact description," she replied.

"Where? Show me."

He eyed the apprentice who was awake- this was the tom, no doubt.  
"Who are you?" he demanded hotly.  
"I don't believe we've met. You are?" Nightfire's son inquired softly, with a lilt to his icy voice. But within his cold irises lurked a lie; he knew exactly who Falconheart was.

"That's none of your business, intruder." He spat.

"Falconheart..." came the chastising voice of Cricketsong. The medicine cat apprentice led him aside and spoke quietly. "I don't trust him either, but if we're cruel, he could take it out on some cat. Be watchful."

Falconheart kne he was right, but that didn't prevent hate from still flaring in his heart. He glared at his paws angrily. "Fine. But I don't have to like him."

He turned back to the broken pawed cat, asking silently with his mind, _Do you even know, apprentice? That you're the son of a murderer?_

"I am Frozenpaw." The black tom meowed.  
"Fitting," Falconheart couldn't stop himself from uttering. It was true, really, the ice cold, calculating eyes he had.

Frozenpaw eyed him coolly. "Yeah. And I can see why you are Falconheart."

_Oh, no._ Frozenpaw thought as Falconheart gaped at him.

He'd given his position away! He wasn't supposed to know the warrior's name, for StarClan sake!  
"How d'you know that's his name?" The blue gray she cat asked sharply, her eyes flickering between them.

"Uh... I heard you call him that." He lied, thinking fast.

The suspicion slowly drained from them, but a trace remained in Falconheart.

He breathed slowly as they left. He had to be more careful. He had to dispatch the tom.

Or the consequences would be dire.

"So how do you think he knew your name? I swear, he couldn't have heard me. That's impossible!"

Falconheart swung his muzzle around in frustration. "I dunno."

His eyes widened in horror. "Unless..." He plunged into his nest and clamped his eyes, fury racing through him.

"What are you doing?" Waterblaze asked, her mew muffled by the moss in Falconheart's ears.

"Tell you later. Please, go get me a poppy seed."

He heard her walk out, and then, she came and laid a small black speck by him. He blinked at her gratefully and lapped it up, spiraling into dreams.

But he was lucid. This was a matter that must be settled.  
He saw a shape melt from the dream mist. A dark figure.  
"Ah. So you came." The shape's mouth rose in a slight smirk. "As I knew you must..."

"Snap out of your riddle talk, Nightfire. What kind of game are you playing?"

Her eyes widened. "Game? This is _no _game, kitten!" she spat, anger flaring like flame in her copper eyes. Then she flattened her fur. "I mean... What are you talking about?"

He was not fooled by the honey dripping from her words, because fire underlay it.

"I'm talking about you sending Frozenpaw to ThunderClan. Telling him to snap his own paw-I don't know what kind of a _mother_ does that- to get sympathy and worm his way into RiverClan. All I know is this: I've figured you out- it won't work!"

She turned and her muzzle curled in a snarl, but she didn't reply. As he watched her retreating form, the landscape fell away, and he awoke.

A blue face was near his when he awoke. "Mind telling me why you fell asleep for a minute, Falcon, and what purpose it served?" she asked, using his kithood nickname.

So Falconheart told her. The vow he swore after Blizzardpaw died. How he had seen his dead mother. How he had seen, also, her mortal enemy, been haunted by her. His suspicion about why Frozenpaw was here. How Batwing loathed him now. He poured it out to her, like a dam breaking in his chest.

He shuffled his paws. She'd probably think he was some kind of lunatic. Well, better a lunatic than driven insane by being haunted.

Wait, that was the same thing...right?  
Waterblaze's eyes were stretched so wide, he was sure they'd pop out of her face. "Why didn't you tell anyone before? That's terrible! And how can she do that- and why?"

He growled deep in his throat. "I'm guessing it's her sick sort of revenge on her enemy's son. Trying to get me to attack her and kill myself in the process." He didn't mention that was the path he was probably heading down.

"But you can't kill a dead cat, Falconheart," she pointed out quietly.

"Yeah. I know."  
_But we'll see, _he thought_. We'll see._

_I'll avenge my mother if it's the last thing I do._


	15. The Omen

"So he was in the woods... a shattered paw, you say, Cricketsong? And he'll tell you nothing more than he wants to join RiverClan...?

"Yes, Lightstar."

"Then I see no reason not to..."

Falconheart listened with increasing disbelief. She was going to let Frozenpaw join.

He burst in, and shouted, "No!"

Lightstar jumped, and then stared at him. "No what?" she demanded.

"You can't... let him... join RiverClan." He panted, trying to convey urgency he knew he couldn't make her feel.

She flattened her fur. "This is not a matter for discussion. He says that he doesn't feel loyalty toward his own Clan anymore. He has requested to join, and as we are... short on young-" Falconheart flinched, thinking of Rosekit- "-And we need apprentices with leafbare now here to help hunt."

"But he'll be an extra mouth to feed," Falconheart mumbled feebly. But he knew the battle was lost; Frozenpaw's ploy had worked.

And Falconheart could sense his life was on the line.

**_  
**Frozenpaw's mouth almost twisted in a smirk as the leader granted him access to the downfall of one warrior. It was a done deal. This was a mission, and must be handled like hunting. One mis-step, the mouse could sense what he was doing, and flee. He had to treat it like a ticking bomb. (I know cats dunno what those are! :3)

So he stumbled up, feeling awkward and kit like at his clumsiness. He hissed, with pain as weight shifted to his paw, nearly healed. But still, it was painful.

A brown face stuck in, features bemused. "And just where do you think you're going?"

He cast his eyes about for an excuse.

"I'm...hungry?" he mewed.

Cricketsong rolled his eyes, and then they bugged out. "No!" he shouted, jumping past Frozenpaw.  
Frozenpaw turned and fell, partly from pain, and mostly from disgust that the blue cream she cat was not breathing, and that he was in the den with a body.

"Streamsong... no... don't be dead." Cricketsong sobbed.  
Frozenpaw took his chance, and hobbled out of the den.  
He had work to do.  
**_**_

The sky was crisp. Clear. Blue. Snow clouds were rolling in, but they were far off.

Though it was a beautiful day, Falconheart was deeply troubled.

He wrinkled his nose as a foul smell overpowered the snow crocuses that sprouted on the frosty riverbank.

He assumed it was crowfood- and he was partially right. There was a tawny brown lump a few paces away from him, and he approached it, to kick it into the river to be washed away.

Falconheart felt bile in his throat as he stared at the little brown thing. It was softly rotting, the body frozen, stiff with frost.

It was a falcon. An omen, he was sure.

A falcon-one that had been killed by frozen cold.

He swallowed, and then as hard as he could, swiped it into the river, cursing as he realized that ice covered the dark water. Angrily, he smashed his paw on the ice, a gasp of pain slipping from his teeth as his foot exploded into a throb. He hopped around, shaking it, and then stopped, dumbfounded.

A thin spiderwebbing of cracks was growing from where he had slammed his pad. As he watched, water pooled from it, and then with a crack like a gunshot, the ice imploded. Water suddenly was flowing everywhere, and ice drifted away in large chunks. The dead falcon dropped into the river, sinking down, down, down.

_"Stand strong, my son. Keep watch." _  
He whirled around. "Who's there?" he shouted.

Like a heat mirage, a shape formed, and he ground his teeth together in fury. Nightfire was the very last thing he needed night now!  
But the pelt of these cats- for there were _two-_ were not black.  
One was the color of a storm, his eyes more magnified and bright than they had been in life; like the blue colour of lightning. The other was the sheer sun, golden fur pluming from her.

They looked overjoyed to be together, and so was he; for this was-  
His family.  
Together.

"Mother... Father! But... you're both..."  
"Dead?" Floodpelt spoke bluntly, but a twinkle of his humor lay in his voice. "Yes. But as you know-" his face clouded with anger momentarily- "-The dead can visit the living."

An image flashed in his mind's eye; a black cat with mud colored paws and flaming eyes.  
"I know what she's planning." He growled.

"We all have different theories, Falconheart," Goldleaf spoke quietly, "But we think yours is right- so does Wolfstar and a few others. But tell us. What do you think?"

He cocked his head. Surely they knew. But he went ahead. "She sent her son to kill me; but she's trying to get me to kill her." He frowned, recalling Waterblaze's warning. "But you can't kill a dead cat, so maybe she's trying to drive me crazy." Suddenly his eyes widened in shock and realization. She's doing it for revenge on you- you and Father. What better trick than to have me, her enemy's son, driven insane for revenge?"

Goldleaf shook her head in discontent. "We loathe each other. I'm no saint. I'm not going to talk about how all I wanted was peace and friendship. I wanted to get rid of her, too, but if ever moved down that path, Floodpelt would not have been on it, ever. And thus, neither would _you."_

He flicked his tail toward the river, discomforted by her words. "I just saw a frozen falcon." He told them. "_Frozen. _Her son's name is Frozenpaw- my name is Falconheart! It... it was an omen..."

They looked grave.  
"StarClan sent that omen." Floodpelt murmured. "But which cat- we don't know."

"It must have been Star who decided to." Goldleaf whispered, her eyes dark with fear for her son.

"Who's Star?" Falconheart asked.

"Leader of StarClan," Floodpelt answered, pacing. "But why would she...?"

"Predict my death?" Falconheart said. "I don't know either, but all I'm worried about is really Nightfire-"

A black shape with two pinpoints of amber for eyes loomed over Goldleaf and Floodpelt.

"Someone call my name?"

Goldleaf's eyes turned black with hatred, her lips peeled back in a snarl; her image grew bolder.  
"_You!" _She spat furiously.

Nightfire remained calm, though an air of hatred and awkwardness hung about. Falconheart wondered, what exactly did you say to your mum's killer and the one trying to kill you herself?

Floodpelt stood on the side, not sure what to do. With a hesitant step, he melted away.

Meanwhile, the two were circling like hawks. Nightfire sneered at Goldleaf. "You call that your son? Looks more like a Twoleg piece of rubbish to me-"  
Falconheart opened his jaws for a furious retort, but Goldleaf had parried the blow with, "Takes one to know one, traitor."

Nightfire shook her head. "I merely felt no loyalty to RiverClan. My mother and kin were all long dead; Floodpelt obviously did not love me anymore. So I left. But one gave me attention in ThunderClan, I did not feel true love, but he gave me attention and affection. So we had a son."

Goldleaf shook her head. "Do you know what you've done?"

Nightfire's eyes burned with fiery, passionate anger, and underneath it, a chilling grief- two opposites of a soul. "I will always be viewed as the villain!" she yelled furiously. "There is nothing I can do to change that- but everyone has a story. No one has ever listened to me. I only got into StarClan by the skin of my tail. I wouldn't beg admission from those fools!" Her eyes dropped, and she shook her head, flicking her tail to where Floodpelt had been.  
"I loved him, too, Goldleaf! You stole him."

Goldleaf took a step forward. "Nightfire, I-"

But she cut in, her eyes clouding with intense hate. "So I need to avenge myself in some way. And my answer to that call... is your son."

She turned, speaking directly to Falconheart now. "I cannot kill you myself. But another of flesh and life can. And he will."

She shot an ice cold glare at Goldleaf, and with a slash of teeth, she was gone. Goldleaf followed. And Falconheart sensed she wouldn't appear to him again, instead carrying out her blows of revenge through Frozenpaw.

She would not fail until one of them was defeated.


	16. Okay, someone really wants me dead

For those who didn't know: Falconheart is a light, tawny brown with gold eyes. He has a white belly with black jags going through.

Frozenpaw is black with a small white blaze between his blue looked at the spot where his mum and Nightfire had been, and with a troubled mind, he padded away. _I wonder what Nightfire's story would be_. He thought, and then shook the worrisome thought away. Nightfire was evil... wasn't she? But her words still rang in his head_. I will always be viewed as the villain, but everyone has a story. _

Would he possibly do the same thing if he were her?

Would he even dare to think about it?

He pushed it away and focused on the omen. _Star must have sent it,_ his parents said. It was a dark thing to know the leader of StarClan had predicted his death, and by the strike of Nightfire's son, no less.  
The reek of the frozen falcon still clouded his senses, so he didn't smell Batwing coming up downwind from him.

His gray and ginger littermate was scuffling his paws in the dirt, looking abashed. He swung his muzzle up and meowed quietly, "Waterblaze told me... about... her." Falconheart understood the 'her' to be Nightfire. "I didn't know you were going through that... and... I just want to say that I forgive you." Batwing's eyes flickered up to him, looking embarrassed.

Falconheart was at a loss at what to say. Neither of them had been heartfelt before, so he said, "Er-thanks, Batwing."

Batwing nodded and then ran back through the bushes. Falconheart glanced around, and then bounded back to camp after him.

Seeing his father well with his mom helped Falconheart get over his passing, though it still stung a bit. He walked into camp amidst a crowd. A ceremony? Lynxkit was much too young to be an apprentice; he only was about a moon old.

But he didn't expect to see Frozenpaw at the head of the crowd, his mangled paw healed, and fur spiked in cruel excitement as he gazed up at Lightstar, perched on the High Boulder. Lightstar flicked her tail for silence. "Frozenpaw, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed here, in RiverClan. Your mentor will be..."

She cast her gaze around for a warrior. There were only a few spry, fit warriors. Most of them were senior warriors, and only Waterblaze, he, and Batwing were fairly good... He ducked down, praying for her to not pick him. Her gaze stopped roving, and she continued. "Your mentor will be Falconheart. I hope he will pass down all he knows on to you. Falconheart, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Emberwhisker, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and strong. You will be the mentor of Frozenpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

_So someone in StarClan really _did_ want him to die, then._ He thought drily, fear parching his throat. "Yes, Lightstar." He managed to croak.

Frozenpaw turned to him; cold triumph glittering in his eyes, and then touched nose lightly with him. An unspoken promise ran through Frozenpaw to Falconheart-they both knew what it was.  
Frozenpaw would extinguish him or die trying.

For now it would be battle of wills- and he found it ironic that he would give Frozenpaw the skills to hurt him.

Frozenpaw stretched in the cold, wavering sun. It gave little warmth, but he didn't mind. The heat of success was warm enough.

And how lucky he was indeed! Apprenticed to his mission and accepted right away- it was practically like taking prey from a kit. He had to admit, though grudgingly so, that he hadn't the skill or strength yet.  
For now he had to make allies and bide his time.  
"Hi!" chirped a little voice near his paws. Frozenpaw slowly looked down and groaned inwardly when he saw a kitten. He had treated them like crowfood. Not poisonous to be near, but best avoided.

"Hello." He said coldly, a faint, throaty growl entering his voice to warn this kit off.

The kit bounced on his paws, happily oblivious to his subtle warning. "I'm Lynxkit! I wish I was an apprentice, you're so lucky! My mum says I don't get to become one for five more moons but that's okay with me 'cause I still want to play and not take care of the elders and all that stuff." He beamed.

Frozenpaw eyed the kit, and a wistful sigh escaped him. He had been a kit once. He had played, been happy before the war and before Nightfire hadn't come back from it. He had romped with Blizzardpaw and annoyed the elders too. But he had more loaded on him now.

"Well, Lynxkit," he said, uncomfortably, "You had better get back to your mother-"

Lynxkit continued rambling, though. "You're appenticed to Falconheart! You're lucky again. He's so cool! I bet you'll love him! He's my favorite. I wish I had him as a mentor."

Frozenpaw swallowed, and for the first time he felt something puncture his icy shell. He realized how many would miss him. That blue she cat he had seen rubbing against him, this tiny kit, his Clanmates...

Could he really kill him- this cat, now his mentor?  
Could he even try?

Falconheart yawned, trying to stomach his fear. Surely Frozenpaw would not attempt... it... in training. But just to be safe, he padded over to Waterblaze.

"I'm going to try and train him- mind coming with me?"

She gaped. "Are you mad? Train him?"

He cast his gaze away. "I must. I'm not completely helpless, anyways. I can hold my own." He scored a line of clawmarks in the half frozen peat.  
She sighed. "Yeah, I guess I'll come with you. But, Falconheart... have you really thought about this?"

He glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you can put this off. Eventually he'll attempt it. He'll kill you and be exiled. Someone could find you to in a fight to the death, and he'd be exiled. Or you kill him. The first option, you'll be dead, and Nightfire wins. Second option, he could always sneak back and finish what he started. Third option... you'll live with the guilt the rest of your life for killing a cat, you'd have to tell the whole Clan why you killed him, and Nightfire still can haunt you. You'll never be free of this."

"Way to make it cheerful." He said grumpily. "Maybe I could just push him in the river and say he slipped."

"This isn't funny!" she snapped. "I mean... I can't... Falconheart, I couldn't lose you."

He stammered. "I- I didn't mean..."  
She gave him a long, hard look, and then padded out of camp.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


End file.
